Their Greatest Quest
by NeversideFaerie
Summary: The characters play another round of Monsters and Mana, in which Jiro is called upon to defeat a malevolent imp. However, Block and Meklavar are beginning an entirely new adventure at the same time… Set in season 6. POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Lance lay back in his seat, propping his feet up against the table, upon which were set up the holograms for yet another round of "Monsters and Mana". Coran probably would have complained, if he wasn't deep in thought, perusing his tablet in preparation for the upcoming game. Meanwhile, Hunk and Pidge were nattering away to each other about previous games they had played together and quests they had completed. Lance wasn't really paying attention though and they thankfully they weren't paying attention to him either. If his two best friends had caught sight of him deep in thought, they likely would have supposed he was daydreaming about meeting a nubile mermaid some when during their next game or showing off his fighting skills or something else they could tease him about…but that wasn't the case.

He was thinking about Allura – again. In all honesty, however, maybe it was just as well neither of them knew what was on his mind. Though they were the closest buddies he had, they could be pretty merciless when it came to taking the Mickey out of his excessive attractions to members of the opposite sex. Indeed, Allura was incredibly stunning and he'd fallen in love with her the moment he first laid eyes upon her, but that was purely physical. Things had changed so much now. He wasn't certain if it was merely a passing crush or something deeper, but he could certainly feel a surge of jealousy every time the thought of Prince Lotor caressing her soft brown cheeks and leaning ever closer towards her face came to mind…

"I do hope you haven't started without us!"

There it was again! That beautiful English voice.

"Don't worry, Princess!" responded Coran, "I haven't even finished plotting out today's game!"

It was then Lance twigged that Allura was actually in the room and not just a figment of his imagination. He quickly removed his legs from the table in case Coran was no longer as absorbed in his tablet and turned to see Allura and Shiro making their way towards the sofa.

"I'm sure it will be as exciting as ever," said Allura, "Just please do not feature the same villain as last time! I'm pretty certain he doesn't need to be resurrected from the dead a third time."

Coran winked. "Today's quest is my best work yet!"

Allura seated herself beside Lance, who felt a pang of butterflies in his stomach. He focused on the hologram in front of him, trying to distract himself until the feeling died down. Inside the holographic landscape, he could see their five figurines – his own anthropomorphic persona, a thief (sorry…ninja assassin!) with wolf ears; Allura's elvish archer; Pidge's dwarven warrior; Hunk's sorcerer and Shiro's knight. He had to admit, he made a pretty dashing rogue. Maybe there'd be an opportunity to charm some of the ladies again in this game (a tactic that had proven rather fruitful in some of his previous quests); even if it wasn't the one lady he'd be most interested in charming…

The group waited until eventually Coran cried out, "Finished!" He set the tablet down beside him and tugged on his lapels. "I must say, I'm proud of today's work."

"Oh do let's get started!" chirped Allura, "I have much enjoyed our previous games."

"Very well then!" Coran cleared his throat, picking up the tablet. "As you all remember, last time you defeated Dakin's master for the third time, unlocking yet another hoard of treasures. You have since used your fortunes to settle down in various parts of the forest and have not been on a quest together in more than two decaphoebs. However, Jiro is about to hear a blood-curdling tale that will force the intrepid team to band together once again…"

…

It was a bitterly cold winter's night in the first month of the new year and there was hardly a soul outside. Those who weren't tucked up in bed or sat in front of the fire in a cosy cottage were huddled together in the local tavern, chugging down beer and ale and sharing stories. The inn was lit only by a few candles, positioned on every table, around each of which were sat several frequenters. Instead of engaging in the drunken revelry common in the summer months, many of them were listening intently to the local bards, who were all sharing essentially the same chilling tale.

Yet another traveller came in from the cold. He was wearing a white and gold suit of armour, with a black cloak draped over the top. This particular cloak had a fur lining to combat the icy weather. He also had a shield and a rather cumbersome sword attached his back. Few noticed the new arrival, which was almost camouflaged in the darkened background. He seated himself at an unoccupied table, not intending to buy any food or drink, and began listening to the stories the bards were telling.

"Did you hear about that old couple who made a deal with the imp? They forgot to give him his payment on time and he turned them to stone!"

"They say he can vanish and appear at will!"

"He may well have been in the area for several phoebs by now!"

"Do not think you can outwit him! He is more cunning than you can possibly imagine."

"He may appear one quintant out of the blue and offer you a deal you cannot refuse…but refuse it you must! He rarely ever keeps his side of the bargain."

Jiro had heard it all before. The stories had sounded outrageous at first, but the more often he heard them, the more convinced he became that something bad was afoot and after meeting a few locals who'd shown him what this imp did to their crops or homes, he began to realise at least a portion of the rumours were true. It was his duty as a paladin to protect the innocent from mischievous foes and this imp he had heard all too much about perfectly fit that description. Even so, he had yet to hear the one thing he needed to uncover the most – how to defeat him. From the lack of hearing even pure speculation on the subject, it was apparent to him that no-one had any suggestions on how to. Even so, he continued listening, hoping sooner or later someone might mention something that would get his hopes up…

Suddenly, the tavern door burst open. "THEY'RE GONE!" squealed an older goblin woman, "He took all of them!"

"Hold on a minute, ma'am!" called Jiro, rising to his feet.

"He took all of who?" asked a troll. No-one even bothered asking who "he" referred to.

"AN ENTIRE VILLAGE!" wailed the woman.

Jiro made his way over to her. "Are you certain this is the doing of the imp we've been hearing about?"

"Well, who else could it be?! I haven't heard of such a tragedy since Dakin turned that village into stone!"

"Ma'am, if it's of any interest to you, I helped slay Dakin." Jiro drew back his fur-lined hood, revealing his tiara. "My name is Jiro, twin brother of Takashi Shirogane, who was slain by Dakin, leading me to avenge his death and continue his life of heroism."

The room became filled with gasps.

"My friends and I have defeated Dakin's master several times before. We have dedicated ourselves to fighting evil in its every form and by the blood of my brother who was slain; we will undo the mischief caused by this new foe!"

He raised his sword high in the air and everyone in the tavern cheered.

Despite being confidant as always while delivering his rousing speech, Jiro couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. He wasn't exactly lying when he said that he was committed to defeating the fiendish imp, but he couldn't help feeling that he was leading the people on, when in reality he had no more idea how to stop him than they did. Perhaps if he was able to reassemble his team, Pike's stealth might match the imp's alleged ability to teleport and Block and Valayun's magic skills could somehow detain him (or perhaps Meklavar could just knock him out with her axe…), but would they be able to undo the imp's spells? Just how powerful was this creature? Did you have to be an exceptional mage or cast a specific spell? Somehow he had a feeling the solution was bound to be pretty complicated…

He sat back down at his table as the cheers died down and everyone returned to their drinking and merrymaking, which was indeed a good deal merrier now they felt reassured he was going to sort out the enemy they'd previously been fretting over. Jiro only hoped he could live up to their expectations. He began to ponder what strategy he could take against the imp (how was he even going to find him if he was prone to appearing randomly?) and while he was deep in thought, he didn't notice a stranger approaching him from behind.

"So, I hear you are the great paladin Jiro," he said, placing a hand on Jiro's shoulder.

This caught the young knight's attention and he turned to see a middle-aged man, wearing a floor-length navy tunic in various shades of blue and gold and a navy blue cloak, clutching a staff. His skin was brown and wrinkled, he had a white beard and overgrown hair and his ears were pointed.

The older man seated himself beside him. "I am the sorcerer Alfor."

…

In the real world, this came as quite a pleasant shock to Princess Allura.

"My father's a sorcerer?" she gleefully remarked, thinking Coran's choice of rank was actually rather fitting for him.

"That was the class he chose when we used to play alongside the Paladins of Old," Coran said proudly.

"Why, of course! I quite forgot."

"Wait!" cried Lance, "The original Paladins used to play Monsters and Mana with you?" Somehow that didn't seem surprising…

"Uh, yeah?" said Hunk, "I think Coran's mentioned that before?"

"I think that was when we were playing on our own, Hunk," Pidge reminded him.

"Oh!" It all came suddenly back to Hunk. "Now I remember. Oh man, that was kind of embarrassing…"

"What characters did the original Paladins play as?" asked Shiro.

"Now let me think…" Coran tapped a finger against his chin. "If I remember correctly, King Alfor was a sorcerer, Zarkon played as a paladin, Trigel was a hunter, Blaytz was a rogue and Gyrgan was a druid."

"Blaytz had good taste," commented Lance.

"I can't say any of those choices surprise me," said Allura.

"King Alfor was an excellent Monsters and Mana player," continued Coran, "He achieved the highest level and completed hundreds of quests with his fellow Paladins. I felt it was only appropriate to pay tribute to him in one of our games!"

…

"I have heard a lot about the good deeds you and your friends have accomplished over the last few decaphoebs."

"We haven't worked together in a long time," confided Jiro, "In all honesty, it's been nearly two decaphoebs since I last saw any of them. We kind of lost track of each other after finally defeating Dakin's master. I don't know how I'm going to bring everyone back together now we've got another quest to complete! We sort of…found each other by accident in the first place…"

"I see," responded the sorcerer, "I'm afraid I cannot accompany you on your journey – there are other matters I need to attend to – but I can offer you some advice." He looked around them surreptitiously before whispering, "An imp's one weakness is his real name. If you are able to find it out and use it in an incantation, you will have the power to make him do whatever you wish." He pulled out a sack from underneath his cloak and took out a necklace, which he placed in Jiro's palm. "This amulet will guide you to the home of whoever you wish. It will help you find your friends and perhaps it will help you find out the name of the imp."

"I can't thank you enough." Jiro smiled.

"I wish you good luck, my boy." Alfor rose to his feet and affectionately thumped his shoulder.

While he exited the tavern, Jiro held up the amulet and inspected the stone embedded within it. As he did so, he began to feel the power it contained and started to get an impression to rise up from the table. He did so and began feeling drawn towards the door. He pulled up his hood, bracing himself for the cold night air, and ventured out into the darkness, the talisman's glowing gem his strongest source of light.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Jiro must have walked for over an hour, going deep into the forest. At first he worried about accidentally tripping over roots or low branches or maybe the odd tramp who'd had a little too much to drink, but the amulet seemed to guide him away from any such obstacles. Eventually, he got the impression that he had reached his destination…wherever his destination was supposed to be. He looked around him, holding up the talisman to see if he could make anything out of his surroundings, when suddenly a light came on above him.

"Is somebody out there?" called a voice.

Jiro looked up and could see the light of a window coming from something high up in a nearby tree, probably a dwelling of some kind.

"My name is Jiro, twin brother of the deceased Takashi Shirogane."

"Jiro? Is it really you?!" The treehouse's door opened and a figure popped out, clutching a candle. It was none other than the mystical archer Valayun, who was wearing a loose-fitting lilac nightie, ankle length with long flowing sleeves. Her white fluffy hair was freed from its usual ponytail and for once she wasn't equipped with her bow and arrows. "Do come in! You'll catch your death of cold out there."

She lowered a rope ladder and Jiro clambered his way into her abode. The interior of the treehouse was small but cosy, with a simple wooden rocking chair, a table (which had a few stools around it), a fireplace with a cauldron, a few shelves laden with pots containing food, a treasure chest where she stored her winnings from previous quests and a single bed, upon which were several woollen blankets.

"So, this is your home now?" said Jiro, observing his surroundings. He pulled down his hood.

"It's not much, I know, but it suits me just fine. Would you like me to fetch you a drink or cook you some broth? You look awfully tired."

"No thank you. I think I just need some rest." He seated himself in the rocking chair.

"What brings you here at this time of night?" Valayun set her candle on the table.

"There have been stories going around about an imp that has been causing trouble in the local area. At first I thought they were merely rumours, but the more I travelled through this kingdom, the more evidence I found that they are indeed true. I found out little over a varga ago that his latest mischief has been making an entire village disappear."

Valayun gasped and a hand flew to her mouth.

Jiro drew out the talisman. "A sorcerer named Alfor handed me this amulet. It was able to guide me to your home and I believe it will be able to take us to the dwelling of the imp, where we may be able to find out a weakness we can use to defeat him – his real name."

"You met my father?"

"Alfor's your father?!" Now he came to think of it, there was a family resemblance…

"Indeed so. He is a powerful sorcerer and has assisted many others with challenging quests."

Valayun took hold of the necklace and closed her eyes. In her mind appeared an image of a tiny cottage tucked away deep in another forest, far away from any villages. Her eyes snapped open. "I think I know where the imp's home is, but it will take us several quintants to get there. Are you planning to reassemble the whole team for this quest?" She handed him back the talisman.

"I believe every member of the team is needed to complete such a task. Tomorrow, I will look for Pike, Block and Meklavar."

"You're quite welcome to stay the night here! I'll fetch you a spare blanket." The archer crawled beneath her bed and pulled out a knitted bedspread. She handed it to Jiro, who stood up and placed it on the chair. Valayun moved the candle to her bedside table and clambered into bed while he removed his shield, sword and chest plate, before sitting back down in the rocking chair. He tucked himself under the blanket and once Valayun had blown out the candle, he quickly fell asleep.

…

The next morning, Jiro woke up before Valayun and promptly started gathering supplies. After she had awoken, he climbed down from the treehouse to let her get dressed in private. In the daylight, it looked even more impressive than he'd supposed and even had a balcony extending around it.

Once she was dressed, Valayun clambered down the rope ladder and picked up one of the supply bags Jiro had packed. She was wearing a knee-length lilac hooded fur-lined cloak with slits for her gloved hands to operate her bow, which she was holding in one hand. Her quiver was attached to her back and instead of wearing her armour, she had on underneath her cloak a gold, white and blue tunic made of thick material, as well as her usual pink jumpsuit. Upon her feet were a pair of fur-lined, lace-up white boots.

"Pike lives only a short walk away from here," she mentioned, as they began walking through the forest, "I visit him on occasion."

It took them twenty minutes to make their way to Pike's home, without needing any assistance from the amulet. Whilst they were doing so, Jiro couldn't help but observe how desolate the forest looked, with every deciduous tree having shed its leaves months ago. There wasn't any snow at the moment, but the weather was certainly cold enough for it.

Pike's home turned out to be a small cave that had been made into a dwelling, complete with a window and a front door, which Valayun gave a tap. "Pike? Are you there?" There was no answer.

She waited a minute before knocking again. This time, the door opened and there stood Pike, wearing a loose-fitting brown long-sleeved tunic and a pair of blue leggings, his brown hair even more unkempt than usual. He yawned loudly. "Oh man! You guys woke me up." Suddenly, he realised just who was standing in front of him. "Jiro?! What are you doing here?"

"It's good to see to see you again, Pike. I have an important quest to complete and I need your help."

"Can it wait?" Pike yawned again and scratched behind one of his ears. "I was up late last night!"

"Apparently, an imp has been causing trouble and has made an entire village disappear," explained Valayun, "In order to defeat him, we need to find out his real name. We must act fast before he can cause any more problems!"

"Oh boy…no pressure there!"

"Are you coming with us?" asked Jiro.

"Oh sure! Just give me a few doboshes…" He disappeared into his house.

Five minutes later, Pike came back, wrapped up in a brown coat (with a hood that had two holes for his ears), over the top of his regular outfit, which this time had the sleeves unrolled; some gloves and a pair of fur-lined boots, carrying a small bag with some supplies inside. He joined the others, who were about to begin their journey to find Block and Meklavar.

Jiro held up the amulet in front of him, his eyes closed.

"Wait, what's he doing?" Pike asked Valayun.

"He's using a talisman he got from my father to see where to head next," she responded.

"I'm guessing this is Block's house," Jiro said, a picture of a large woodland cottage materialising in his mind.

"Actually, it's Block _and_ Meklavar's house," corrected Valayun.

Jiro opened his eyes, rather taken aback. "They live together?"

Pike and Valayun exchanged glances, as if trying to decide who was going to do the explaining.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" Jiro lowered the amulet.

Valayun faced him again. "I suppose you didn't hear about what happened before last winter – Block took her to wife."

…

"Wait?" said Lance, turning to his two best friends, "Your characters got _married_?!"

Allura and Shiro were staring at them with an equal amount of surprise.

"Oh…yeah," Hunk explained. "I forgot to tell you guys… In the last game Pidge and I played together, I kind of got tricked by a witch who wanted me to marry her daughter…"

"The only way to break free from the engagement was to marry someone else," continued Pidge, "So he married Meklavar."

 _And you guys are OK with that?_ Lance was tempted to ask, still a little stunned.

"I had no idea until today you were playing games without us," said Allura.

"We've done a couple quests on our own," responded Pidge.

 _Wait? The others didn't know?_ thought Lance. He remembered overhearing Hunk and Pidge talking about games they'd played together privately, but had just assumed Allura and Shiro already knew about them and that it was only him who was in the dark until today.

Speaking of Allura, a nagging part of him couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if things had been a little bit different…and it was his character instead of Hunk's who'd ended up tricked by the witch. Boy, was he glad he hadn't been placed in that position….

…

"It really has been a long time since I last saw them…" mused Jiro.

"It will take a few vargas to walk to their home," said Valayun. "It's been more than a decaphoeb since Pike saw them last. I wonder how they're getting on."

"It's important that we have Block with us on our current quest. His skills and knowledge as a sorcerer will be vital to help us defeat the imp."

The trio began their journey through the woods, stopping halfway to have something to eat, before continuing on their way. The ground was frozen and laden with twigs. Every time they passed a lake, it was frozen and the ice looked thick enough to stand on.

 _Maybe when this quest is over, we could go ice skating!_ thought Pike.

The amulet guided Jiro all the way to the cottage he'd seen in his mind. It was fairly large with two storeys and a thatched roof. It had a front garden that was decorated with all sorts of plants and bushes and he imagined that when it was in full bloom it would be very beautiful. He was so pleased for Block and Meklavar, settling down together in such a charming home. He remembered how the pair of them loved each other's company and were such good friends, completing many quests together before they met him. He was going to have to congratulate them on tying the knot.

As he and the others approached the house, he spotted Block in the garden, wearing a thick winter cloak on top of his regular outfit and a pair of heavy-duty gloves, trying to fix the wattle fence. He caught sight of them coming and was so surprised he dropped his hammer.

"Guys? Is it really you?!"

Jiro entered through the gate, closely followed by his two companions. "It's good to see you again, Block."

The young mage swiftly embraced him, unfazed by his bulky armour. "I've missed you so much!"

He proceeded to hug Valayun and then Pike, who received his affection graciously. Pike was about to ask how the missis was doing when Jiro started telling him about the mission they were going on to stop the imp.

"…and you want me to join you on this quest?" confirmed Block, a little uneasy about something.

"Your skills as a sorcerer will play a vital part in defeating him. None of us know how to cast an incantation using his name. Meklavar is also welcome to join us."

"You could have a slight problem there…"

While he was conversing with Block, Jiro hadn't noticed that a figure had stepped out of the front door. Pike was the first to spot her.

"Meklavar!" he cried, rushing over and smothering her in an embrace.

"Pike! Oh man, I've missed you so much."

Pike let go of her. "…and you call me a thief!" he suddenly accused. "There's no way you can convince me you're not hiding a cannon ball under here." He bent down and gave her tummy a friendly pat. "It's kind of soft though. Maybe you're actually hiding a rotting cabbage."

Meklavar laughed. It was then Jiro turned to see that she was not wearing her usual clunky armour, but a floor length green sleeveless dress, with a drawstring peasant blouse underneath. She'd grown out her hair and it now reached her shoulders, though it was still as endearingly scruffy as always. He also realised, in complete shock, that her belly was looking considerably…rounder than usual.

 _Oh no_ …he thought.

Valayun had noticed as well. "Oh, congratulations!" she cried, hurrying over, "I had no idea you were with child!"

Pike moved out of the way and she gave Meklavar a hug.

"Block and I are happily settled in now, so we thought it would be a good time to start a family," Meklavar explained, as Valayun let go of her.

"Oh, yeah…" Block turned back to Jiro, scratching the back of his neck. "About that quest…"

…

Lance, Allura and Shiro stared at Pidge and Hunk, uncertain how they'd react to this new revelation.

"Aww!" the pair chorused.

Hunk had a particularly tender expression upon his face.

"I can't believe our characters are having a baby," said Pidge, "That is so cute!"

The others relaxed a little, thinking maybe Coran wasn't completely off his trolley adding such a dramatic advancement to the story after all.

…

"How long do you think it will be before the baby arrives?" asked Valayun.

"The midwife said it's due any quintant now," replied Meklavar, resting a hand on her bump, "Man, you can really tell its Block's baby. This little one's getting so big!"

Block looked anxious. Jiro put a hand on his shoulder. "It's OK, Block. I'm sure we can manage without you."

"I sure hope so," responded Block, "I can't go gallivanting off on some quest at a time like this – I need to stay with my wife."

"What's this about a quest?" asked Meklavar.

Block wasn't quite sure how to explain but luckily Jiro filled in for him. "Pike, Valayun and I are going on a quest to defeat an imp who's been causing trouble and has now made an entire village disappear."

Meklavar looked like she'd been struck by a bolt of lightning.

"Block, we need to start packing!" She turned to head back to the house, but her husband reached out and gently took hold of her wrist to stop her.

"Honey! You're in no shape to travel. We can't go on this quest until after you've had the baby."

His wife turned to face him. "Block, do you know anything about imps?"

He let go of her wrist. "Other than that they cause trouble and can make people disappear?"

"When an imp casts a spell, if it's not undone within a movement, it will be permanent."

"That…I didn't know."

"I'm a dwarf. I grew up hearing about them and other nuisances from the elders in my village."

"I'm glad you told us, Meklavar," said Jiro, "I was considering postponing the quest until the spring."

"Wait…" evaluated Pike, counting on his fingers, "If the imp's spell takes a movement to become permanent, that means we've got less than seven quintants to complete the quest!"

"Less than six quintants," corrected Jiro, "I heard the news yesterday."

"The baby will probably arrive within the next few quintants…" Block look worriedly at his wife's belly.

"Then we need to get a move on," she said, grabbing hold of his wrist and pulling him towards the front door.

Once inside the house, she and Block started gathering together everything they needed for the trip. The others followed them inside and seated themselves in their lounge-diner, in front of the roaring fire. Valayun and Pike shed their winter cloaks and Jiro pulled down his hood. Pike was rubbing his hands in front of the flames, Valayun having seated herself in the nearby rocking chair, when Block came downstairs and dumped everything he was carrying on the table, which included several items of clothing, a couple of books on magic, some blankets, some toiletries, his trusty staff, some wooden dinner plates, a large flask of water and his precious bowl that was never empty of food.

Meklavar made her way down the stairs next, though when Block realised she was doing so he rushed to assist her. "I'm fine, Block," she said, though she graciously accepted his hand as she went down the last few steps.

She placed a bag containing her own personal hygiene items upon the table, as well as her gloves of transmutation, which had come in handy on many previous adventures. She turned to seat herself in her rocking chair, only to find Valayun was already sitting there, but more than willing to move.

"I've been getting very tired easily over the last phoeb," explained Meklavar, sitting down in her seat.

"I'm not surprised!" said Valayun, who was crouching beside her, "Carrying all that weight around must really be taking its toll on your dwarven body." She placed a hand on Meklavar's bump and gave it an affectionate rub. The skin felt firm from where it had been stretched.

"You might feel the baby kick," said Meklavar, "Oh boy, our little warrior's getting so strong! It keeps me awake at night sometimes."

Pike had meanwhile positioned himself in the other chair, which was usually occupied by Block, his crossed legs hanging over one of the arm rests and his arms supporting his head. "When the baby's born, do you think it would like to spend some time hanging out with old Uncle Pike? I could teach it a few of my tricks…"

"You're welcome to visit any time, 'Uncle Pike'!"

Valayun retracted her hand from Meklavar's tummy and spotted a basket beside her chair, inside of which were two balls of wool, some knitting needles and several strange-looking knitted items of clothing. "What are these?" she enquired, picking up the container.

"I've been trying to knit some clothes for the baby. There's not much else I can do when I'm stuck indoors on a cold night! I'm real bad at it though..."

Valayun picked up a lopsided baby hat and wiggled a finger through a gaping hole. "I can see what you mean!" She placed it back in the basket.

While the others were conversing, Block was showing Jiro his collection of magic books.

"I'm sure there must be a spell to get rid of imps somewhere in here…" he thought out loud, flicking through a volume.

"Don't worry yourself, Block," reassured Jiro, "I'm sure you'll have enough knowledge to defeat him when the time comes."

He turned to face the others. "We must make haste if we are to complete this quest before it is too late. It may be difficult travelling at this time of year and it could snow at any time, but we must keep in mind the people we are doing this for. They are counting on us to undo this imp's mischief and restore them, just like we did for Block's village decaphoebs ago. We may not know these people personally, but their gratitude will be our greatest reward once we have completed this quest."

With that, the adventure began.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Block helped Meklavar into her winter cloak, which was also lined with fur. She had braided her hair into two stumpy plaits, which he tucked underneath a white cap, before fixing her hood on top. He took hold of her gloved hands and bent down to plant a kiss on her forehead, before turning to pick up the bag he'd packed for the two of them. There was no way he was going to let her lug around anything extra whilst she was carrying their baby inside of her! He had already asked her kindly but insistently not to bring her signature axe with her on this trip…

He felt bad that she was going to have to walk the distance to the imp's home, but there was no way he could fit all of his friends on his staff and also he thought it would be risky for her to travel on it while she was expecting.

The others were once again wrapped up in their cold weather gear, ready to embark on their journey. Jiro held up the amulet, closed his eyes and let a picture form within his mind. He had no idea where an imp might reside and was rather taken aback when the image he saw was not a cave or a ruin but a woodland cottage. It didn't even look abandoned, but rather had a well-kempt garden and even a water wheel being turned by a nearby stream. For a moment he even wondered if the talisman might have got something wrong, but there was nothing about the vision that made it seem any less authentic than the ones that had directed him to Valayun's treehouse and Block and Meklavar's cottage.

He lowered the necklace and opened his eyes. "I know the way, guys. Follow me."

He marched through the front door and was closely followed by the rest of the team. Block locked up the house before taking hold of Meklavar's hand and joining the procession.

They walked for several hours over the frozen ground, guided by Jiro and the amulet. Despite having his attention drawn to the directions it gave him, he became increasingly aware that the sky was getting darker. "I think it might snow tonight, guys," he forecasted.

"We'll have to find somewhere to take shelter before the night falls," said Valayun.

"Yeah, but can we stop and have something to eat first?" asked Pike, "I'm famished."

Valayun was actually rather surprised that they hadn't already stopped for dinner and wondered why no-one had suggested it before, but then it occurred to her that the person who usually complained he was getting hungry was Block – and he hadn't said a word.

"That sounds like a good idea," said Meklavar, who was leaning on her husband and looking weary, "I'm exhausted."

They had taken a few brief rests along their journey with her in mind, but it had still been a long walk. It had continuously reminded Valayun about the loss of her Pegasus in battle a couple of years ago. Not only had she lost a faithful friend, but she and her team-mates (with the exception of Block and Meklavar – before she was pregnant) were now restricted to being pedestrians. Watching Meklavar struggle made her suffer even more.

The group wandered on a little further, collecting sticks and rocks along the way, until they found a cave that looked ideal for them to set up camp in. Block got a fire going while Valayun, Pike and Jiro unloaded their sleeping bags. Meklavar used her gloves of transmutation to turn a few rocks into pillows and Block helped her comfortably prop herself up against the cave wall.

Once the fire was roaring, he dug out the bowl that was never empty of food and started dishing out a rich chicken stew to all his friends, who ate heartily. They had now all stripped off their winter cloaks (and even armour, in the case of Jiro) and laid them on top of their sleeping areas, along with some thick blankets they'd brought along as well. Meklavar had also removed her cap and her plaits were freely hanging on her shoulders. After she'd had finished her second bowlful, Block promptly poured her another.

"You really need to eat up, babe," he said, offering it to her, "Or you'll freeze in this weather - you've got no fat on you!"

"I think we can manage a third," responded Meklavar, taking the bowl.

After she'd eaten it, she handed the dish back to her husband, who placed it with the plates of his team-mates, who had long since finished theirs. "Oh boy! I'm really full now." She rubbed and patted her belly. "Was that nice, huh? You're a hungry little one!"

Block gazed tenderly at where his wife's hand was positioned.

"I forgot to congratulate you earlier on your marriage," said Jiro, "I wish I could have been there for the ceremony."

"It…wasn't really planned," explained Block, "The witch was going to marry me off to her daughter the next day so we pretty much had to make a decision within a few vargas. We didn't have time to invite you guys or anything."

"It was Pike who informed me of their union," clarified Valayun, "He happened to meet them when he was passing though the town they'd taken residence in and told me the news when I saw him next."

"I'm very happy for you guys," said Jiro with a smile.

Little did he know, however, just who it was that conducted the ceremony. After being tricked by the witch, Block had been understandably horrified and Meklavar had asked around the local tavern if anyone knew how to undo the spell the infamous witch of Venric had cast on him. She had met a veteran sorcerer named Alfor who'd offered to help him and brought him to the bar table, where Block was talking to himself obsessively about his potential unappealing fate over a mug of beer.

"I cannot break the spell," said Alfor, "But you could find a way to divorce her."

Meklavar pulled up a chair and sat herself beside her best friend. "What could be grounds for divorce?" she pondered aloud. "You not consenting to the marriage, use of coercion, lack of consummation…"

"Oh man!" Block planted his face into the table.

"Or you could merely find a way to break off the engagement," suggested Alfor.

"And how would he do that?" asked Meklavar.

Alfor thought for a moment. "You could get rid of the bride…"

Meklavar tapped her axe against her palm, a playfully cruel expression upon her face. "That could be arranged…"

"The only other way I can think of is marrying someone else, but I'm assuming you don't have anyone in mind."

Block unburied his face. "I never thought it would come to this. I'm going to be stuck in some filthy hovel, married to an ugly witch's daughter, with ugly witch babies and a miserable life! At least you can come and visit me sometimes, Meklavar."

Meklavar placed her axe upon the table and took hold of his hand. "Don't worry, Block. We've got until tomorrow to think this out. There's got to be a way you can…" Suddenly, her face lit up. "I'VE GOT IT!"

Block didn't have much to lose. "What's your plan?"

"If you want to break off your engagement to the witch's daughter, you need to marry another girl, right?" She looked intently into Block's eyes, a beam upon her face. "You could marry me!"

Block and Alfor were completely struck dumb, their eyes widening in disbelief.

Alfor was the first to speak. "Wait…you're a girl?!"

"I sure am," responded Meklavar. She removed her helmet to reveal her scruffy, cropped brown hair before placing it on the table.

"I'm so sorry! I had no idea."

"I could…marry you?" mulled Block, staring at his dwarven friend. He took hold of her other hand. They got down from their bar stools, gazing into each other's eyes.

Alfor raised an eyebrow. "Are you both OK with this?"

"I've been his best friend for decaphoebs," said Meklavar, turning to face the veteran sorcerer. "I should be surprised people aren't already asking us when we're tying the knot!" She turned back to Block and got down on one knee, her leg armour clunking as it touched the floor. "Block, will you marry me?"

The young mage had to fight back tears and so choked up he was unable to get an answer out for almost half a minute. "Meklavar…" he said eventually, "I'd like that more than anything."

His new fiancé rose back to her full height and the pair of them embraced. Alfor smiled. Once the pair of them had cuddled to their hearts' content, Meklavar took hold of Block's hand and they turned to face the sorcerer.

"Alfor? Can you perform the ceremony?" requested Meklavar.

As it happened, he did indeed have the authority to conduct their marriage and the pair of them set about making some ad hoc wedding arrangements over the next few hours. Block used his bowl of bottomless food to create some refreshments while Meklavar bought herself a new gown. It was not extravagant, but certainly fancier than any she'd owned in the past. The life of a dwarven miner was hardly a glamorous one and the few dresses she'd owned had become dirty and torn from working underground. She'd had "Sunday Best" dresses growing up that she hadn't worn in the mines, but they had been very simple. Her wedding dress was green with a brown under-layer and had a square neck that revealed a little of her shoulders. The outer-layer had puff sleeves, with longer sleeves underneath, and her bodice was laced. The skirt reached all the way to the floor and she felt rather elegant wearing it. Despite being a tomboy, it was nice to be wearing something far daintier than her clunky armour for once.

There weren't many attendees at their wedding, let alone people they knew well. Most of them were just people at the tavern who'd heard there had been an engagement on the premises and had just decided to go along to the service. Thankfully, Block and Meklavar did not mind having strangers at their wedding. It was held in a clearing of the nearby forest and Alfor cast a few spells that he hoped would prevent the witch or her daughter interfering if they caught wind of the news and turned up to try and stop the ceremony. However, they were probably busy shopping for a wedding gown or organising a feast, blissfully unaware that their plans were being thwarted.

"Dearly beloved," said Alfor, standing upon a tree stump, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the wedding of Block, a sorcerer, and Meklavar, a dwarf miner. Block, do you take Meklavar as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," said Block, holding his fiancé's hand and looking at her with the tenderest expression. She'd combed her normally scruffy pixie cut before the ceremony and one of the guests had been kind enough to give her a wreath of green flowers to wear around her head and a little bouquet. In all the years they'd known each other, Block had never seen her look so beautiful, though in all honesty, he thought she was beautiful all the time, even when she was caked in mud from where she'd fought some swamp beast on a rainy night or was soaked to the bone after messing about in the river with him. She had been his best friend for such a long time and now that he was about to make the biggest commitment of his life, he actually began to realise he couldn't really imagine himself being married to another woman.

"Meklavar, do you take Block as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." The dwarf girl looked so happy she was positively shining.

Alfor smiled. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Block bent right down to his new wife's level and closed his eyes. They then shared a brief but affectionate kiss on the lips, the very first one they'd ever shared.

As their wedding night approached, Block grew anxious. They'd got married so quickly and he was really not prepared to consummate their relationship yet. The idea of being Meklavar's husband still sounded foreign enough let alone the thought of having sex with her. Would she even be comfortable with that? Would _he_ be comfortable with that? Block had always seen her as something of a brother in arms, a comrade, a close friend who just happened to be a girl…yet at the same time, he couldn't say he'd never felt any romantic attraction for her before.

He'd heard of people meeting strangers and then suddenly falling wildly in love with them. He didn't want to deny their instincts, but at the same time he couldn't imagine them sharing a bond as deep as the one he had with Meklavar after all their years of friendship. He knew her so well – they'd fought side by side, a sorcerer and a dwarven warrior. They'd completed many of their adventures with their other friends, but some had been just the two of them. They'd shared their most personal secrets whilst camping under the stars on quests, spent time wading in rivers and getting into impromptu water fights; sang their favourite childhood rhymes around campfires and goofed around when their quests had been completed – alone together. Those had been some very special times.

He thought of one time they'd found a field of flowers and had made crowns for each other, laughing and joking about being the king and queen of the flower field. Block liked the thought of Meklavar being a queen. His queen. She'd looked so beautiful with the wreath around her head, despite the contrast of her armour, that for a moment he'd wanted to reach over and kiss her – on the lips. However, he'd baulked. What if Meklavar didn't want to be kissed? What if he freaked her out? Would trying to kiss her ruin their brotherly relationship?

He almost couldn't believe how drastically things had changed since that uncomfortable occurrence. The taste of her lips still lingered on his own – a taste that had for all too long been the forbidden fruit he knew he'd never get to experience…

They spent their wedding night in a local inn, this time asking for a double bed instead of the usual separate rooms. Much to his relief, Meklavar didn't bring up the subject of intercourse and thus neither did Block. He couldn't help but think she had similar reservations to himself. Upon climbing into bed together, they did little in the way of intimacy, besides sharing their first bedtime kiss, which was just enough for the both of them.

Not long later, they decided to take up residence in the village they'd arrived in after finishing their last quest. They'd collected quite a bit of money from various treasure hunts in the past and had hung onto it for a while, but now decided to use it to purchase a cottage. They bought a few items of furniture as well, including a table, several seats (including Meklavar's rocking chair), a bathtub and a double bed. The marriage happened in early autumn so they were grateful to find a comfortable home before the winter arrived.

It grew bitterly cold and Block worried about his small, skinny wife. He ensured that she wrapped herself up in thick blankets while she was indoors and coaxed her to eat more.

"If I keep eating this much, people are going to think I'm with child!" said Meklavar as he dished her up a third bowl of pottage one dinnertime. She ate it up anyway and while she did so, Block began to think.

"You know, Meklavar, I've been wondering. Now that we're married and all that, do you think…" His voice wavered a little. "…you'd like to have children with me someday?"

Meklavar had been about to take another bite when she suddenly froze, almost dropping her spoon.

Just as Block was starting to wonder if he'd dropped the question a little too early, animation came back into his wife.

"Oh sure!" she replied. "I'd love to have a baby with you!"

"What, really?" The sorcerer took hold of her hand.

"Yeah, I've always wanted kids. Though growing up, I didn't think I was going to be able to have them as I never thought I'd ever find someone I'd want to marry…but that's changed now. Man, imagine that…our own baby…"

She looked excited and Block mirrored her expression. "I only hope you're ready for the responsibility…"

"Sure I am! Or, I will be after some research… We can have kids whenever you're ready."

Block shrugged. "I'm ready whenever you are."

Meklavar took another bite and once she'd swallowed it said, "Maybe we should try and get pregnant when the warmer weather arrives."

Block didn't understand what she meant at first, but then he twigged. "Oh…yeah."

His wife was blushing a little. He smiled, blushing a tad himself. However, unlike on their wedding day, he felt a little more prepared now for thinking about potentially coming together with her in the near future. On the other hand, he wondered if she was truly ready.

During the last couple of months, she'd shown no apparent interest in anything beyond kisses and cuddles. He knew from various experiences before and during their marriage that she disliked having too much of her body exposed, such as how she was always a little awkward when he gave her a bath. It was going to be a big step for her not only to have a child, but to allow him to be intimate enough with her that they might conceive a child. He vowed in his heart that once the spring arrived, he'd find some way of being one with her that she was comfortable with. Also by that time, he hoped they would have prepared themselves for the massive new responsibility coming to them.

"Are you sure you want a baby just yet?" he probed, "We've only been married a few phoebs."

"We've been on lots of quests together over the last couple of decaphoebs, right? It's been a while since we finished our last one. Now that we're all settled in together, I was thinking…maybe we should start a new one."

Block squeezed her hand. He looked so happy his wife thought he might start to cry.

A little over a decaphoeb had passed and now here they were, snuggling up together in the quasi-nest he'd made for them out of pillows, a mattress Meklavar had transmuted and several thick blankets. After finishing their dinner, the intrepid team had thought it would be best to start settling down. Jiro, Valayun and Pike had all brought sleeping bags with them and had tucked themselves under the covers, while the fire still burned bright. Meklavar was lying on her back, but Block had positioned her head on a couple of pillows, with another one behind her ankles. He was now wearing just his robes, lying on his side beside her; resting his head on his fist and caressing her baby bump with his free hand.

"I can't feel any movement tonight," reported Meklavar.

"The baby must be sleeping off that meal I just fed you."

"Yeah, that's probably true…oh, wait!"

She and Block went quiet.

"I…think that was a kick," said Block.

They went silent again for a few seconds.

"Man, it's really moving now!" Meklavar looked at the others. "Sometimes the baby can sense Block's magic."

"Oh, how wonderful!" cried Valayun, thinking it was the most adorable thing she'd heard in ages.

The baby kicked a few more times and Block's expression grew even more affectionate. It was _his_ baby, growing inside the woman he loved more than anything in the world. The others looked on in reverent awe, honoured to see their old friends moving on to a whole new adventure.

"Your Mom is the bravest woman I've ever met," said Block to his unborn child, "She's the best axe-fighter in three lands and we've fought and won so many battles together. She's been so tough, carrying you in her tummy for phoebs and hardly complaining. You're so lucky to have her as a mother. You'll be able to grow up in our lovely cottage and she'll teach you how to fight and be strong and I can teach you how to cast spells. You won't ever have to work in a mine, digging up ore with just the light of a candle, like your mother did from a young age. You can go and be whatever you want to be – perhaps a warrior like your mother, or a sorcerer like myself, or an archer like your Aunt Valayun…" The elvish maiden smiled. "…or a Paladin like Uncle Jiro…" The knight looked proud. "…or a…" Pike was counting the coins in a little sack he'd brought along, his ears pricking up as he expected to hear his name being mentioned next. "…um… _ninja assassin_ , like Uncle Pike." The young rogue looked very flattered.

"Block will be a great Dad," continued Meklavar, placing her hand on top of her husband's, "He's been real good to me while I've been expecting you, coaxing me to eat when I was sick and doing the housework for us. He's going to really look after you, little one. He's been my best friend for decaphoebs and we've been on so many exciting quests together. Raising you is going to be our biggest quest yet!"

After having got so used to being Block's wife, it was crazy to think that little over a year ago it had never even crossed her mind that one day she'd marry him, let alone that they'd have children together. Even though the witch's spell had seemed like the biggest disaster imaginable at the time, she had begun to find herself growing more and more grateful that it had happened. If it hadn't been for the witch, she wondered if it would have ever occurred to her that she and Block would make such a happy couple, or even a couple at all! Less than a year and a half ago she would have never guessed that soon she'd be a wife and mother. So much had changed in such a short space of time.

"I only hope you don't come just yet," remarked Block, removing his hand from his wife's belly and lying on his back, "I don't know what I'm going to do if your Mom goes into labour while we're still on our quest." Due to Meklavar's short stature, they'd been expecting the baby to arrive any day for the last couple of months, but miraculously it hadn't been born prematurely.

"It may reassure you to know I actually have some experience with delivering babies," said Valayun all of a sudden, "I have a friend who's a midwife and I've had to assist her a couple of times."

"What, really?!" cried Meklavar excitedly, "Oh man, that's real great to hear! I was thinking Block would have to deliver the baby himself."

Block looked very relieved about not potentially having to do that! What with her small build and them hardly being in the most comfortable of circumstances, he feared it was going to be a difficult birth for her…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Before long, the group had settled down for their night's rest. The fire had died down now and everyone had fallen fast asleep without any problems (even Meklavar – the baby had stopped moving some time ago). Everyone except for Pike, who for some reason was feeling restless, so he was sat up watching the others sleep – more specifically, he was watching Valayun sleep. It brought him such a great sense of peace, seeing her safe, comfy and completely tranquil, her long white hair billowing out around her. He hoped she was warm under all those blankets and her cloak. He hadn't brought any more bedding than his sleeping bag, but there was no need to worry because he had a winter coat of fur. It looked unsightly and he was glad it was hidden under his clothes, but it stopped him from getting cold.

Block was gently snoring but it didn't seem to be disturbing any of the others, even his wife. Pike stared at them for a few moments, thinking about how much had changed since he saw them last. Some months ago, he'd been visiting some relatives of his in a village a few hours' walk away and stopped by at the local tavern in the evening, where he'd spotted two familiar faces. He'd gone over to his old friends and started catching up. He told them about his trip and how he was furnishing his home. They told him about the quests they'd been on together since they'd seen him last, including the one in which they'd defeated a witch two months earlier, but not without her putting a spell on Block. He remembered being both flabbergasted and overjoyed when they told him how they cheated the enchantment. They'd told him that they'd now bought a charming cottage and were adjusting to married life very well. They hadn't mentioned the possibility of having children, but Pike wasn't surprised when he discovered Meklavar was pregnant the next time he saw them. He knew all too well that if _he_ had a wife, he'd probably end up with a lot of cubs…

He turned back to Valayun and sighed. Meklavar was so happy with Block. Despite their marriage being unplanned, everything was working out so well. He began to wonder if Valayun would have any children someday. Certainly not with him though – as beautiful, smart and courageous as she was, he just could not imagine ever taking her to wife. They'd been friends for years now, but Valayun never seemed to view him as anything more. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried making advances – he'd occasionally invited her on picnic dates, but she'd politely declined each time. Though she didn't fully explain why, it was easy for Pike to work it out – as much as she liked him, she just wasn't _interested_ in him.

Perhaps it was for the best. He knew she struggled with small children and he doubted she would want to have many – if any – herself. Knowing his own personal desires, that would not be possible. The last thing he wanted for her was to end up an overworked housewife with half a dozen little ones to look after, her attractive face wrinkled from years of stress and her figure not nearly as slim. As stomach-churning as this vision was, what chilled him the most about it was that he was nowhere to be seen in the picture. Though he was young and naïve, he knew horribly well that he just wouldn't be able to cope with all those kids. He saw in his mind the once-beautiful archer blowing noses, sorting out fights over toys and trying to cook some broth in the cauldron for their dinner without any of her children getting under her feet. He could hear their offspring squealing and throwing tantrums in the background and he saw Valayun sinking onto a rickety little stool in front of the hearth and crying. After a while she turned to face him, her hair tangled and dirty and her face raw with tears. It was the face of a broken-hearted single mother.

In that moment, he vowed with his whole being that he would never make the scene a reality, even if it broke his own heart in the process. He loved Valayun more than he could ever tell her.

He began to realise this was how Block felt towards Meklavar. He'd seen over the last day how protective he was of her. Usually, Meklavar could look after herself just fine – she was a strong, independent woman and the best axe-fighter in three lands (as she kept reminding them). He'd seen how fierce she was when in battle. However, without her bulky armour she looked so tiny and vulnerable. Well…maybe not so much "tiny" at the moment (Block's baby was big, no kidding!), but certainly very vulnerable. During their journey, she'd nearly tripped over a couple of times due to her cumbersome size and at one point had bashed right into Pike, before apologising profusely. Block had taken hold of her hand most of the time, to try and minimalize any accidents.

He hoped whatever young man that took Valayun would treat her just as well. If anyone was ever to break her heart, they'd have him to answer to. He'd probably scratch both their arms and growl menacingly, alerting them that he would do a lot more damage to them if he needed to. It definitely wouldn't be the first time he'd felt the urge to defend her.

He recalled a quest they'd gone on nearly three decaphoebs ago. The team had heard about an incident from some sailors who'd been carrying some magical artefacts and had been attacked by a group of pirates whilst on the high seas. They'd managed to defeat the pirates by sinking their ship but not without losing their bounty along with it. Word had spread quickly about the treasure hiding beneath the waves and Jiro had offered to help the sailors retrieve their losses before someone stole them.

Instead of wearing their usual getup, the team had to pick clothes more suited for an underwater adventure. Block wore his pyjamas, which consisted of a black long-sleeved tunic and a pair of loose dark brown trousers. Meklavar wore an oversized off-white blouse (it was very difficult to find clothes that fit her tiny body!) and a pair of burgundy leggings. She wasn't able to take her trusty axe with her for fear it would get rusty so instead she brought a wooden bat as a stand-in. Jiro wasn't able to bring his armour or his sword (even if it didn't get rusty, there was no chance the "flaming" feature would work underwater!) and instead wore a short-sleeved navy blue tunic with black trousers, as well as a belt with a leather pouch containing lots of useful items. Valayun wore just the lilac bodysuit she usually had beneath her armour, which certainly caught Pike's attention! Despite being form-fitting, it was also flattering and fairly modest, as well as being ideal for swimming. She had also tied all her hair back into a sensible bun. She didn't want to risk taking her bow and arrows under the waves so she brought no weapons with her. Pike found a pair of old three-quarter length trousers he thought would do and wore nothing else, though like Jiro he also took a pouch with him.

They took a little boat out into the middle of the ocean and Block used his magic to conjure bubble helmets for everyone (it took him a few tries to get it right though – they kept popping before landing on their users' heads!), with the exception of himself. He was going to man the boat and haul in any findings, unless they needed his help under the waves.

It was summertime and the water was cool but bearable. It was also azure blue and lit up by the sun's rays. Exploring beneath it seemed like a doddle at first, but it wasn't long before complications arose. Due to the nature of Monsters and Mana, it was no ordinary ocean and the team had to get through a boss battle with a kraken (Meklavar's bat and two pocket knives brought by Pike and Jiro really came in handy!), narrowly avoid being eaten by a sea monster (which also nearly managed to capsize their boat – thankfully Block was able to use magic to defeat it) and try to get to the treasure before some frogmen, possibly pirates themselves, got there first. The divers had some kind of waterproof armour with masks carved into hideous expressions, resembling the fish of the very deepest parts of the ocean, and though they appeared humanoid, seemed to be able to breathe underwater with ease, possibly the result of some kind of magic.

They had several run-ins with the pirates, who had no qualms about throwing harpoons in their direction. The team's lack of armour gave them a distinct disadvantage and they eventually had to retreat. Some of the robbers went inside the sunken ship, while a pair floated outside the entrance, weapons at the ready.

"We can't just give up!" cried Meklavar, hiding behind a large rock with her team-mates, who were keeping an eye on the guards, "The captain's counting on us to get back those artefacts! We can't let those thieves get their filthy hands on them." The captain had not specified that the artefacts were dangerous, but due to their magical properties and the urgency he had placed on the mission, Jiro assumed he didn't want them to fall into the wrong hands.

"We need a strategy," said Jiro, turning around, "Pike? I think we're going to need your help."

Pike was the only member of the group who had his back turned to the pirates and he was sat on the sandy floor, playing with a piece of seaweed. Suddenly, his ears pricked up and he swivelled to face Jiro.

"Ninja assassin Pike, reporting for duty!" He tossed away the seaweed and saluted, narrowly avoiding piercing his bubble helmet.

"Have you brought along your invisibility cloak?"

"I sure have!" Pike patted his fanny pack. "I never go anywhere without my baby."

"I need you to use it to sneak past the guards. Can you smuggle another member of the team as well?"

"I'm sure I could make room for a pretty girl like you…" He winked at Valayun.

Valayun was not amused. "Pike, this is not the time! We're trying to accomplish a mission here."

"I need two of you guys to go in there and salvage whatever you can," instructed Jiro, "Even if we can't get all the artefacts, I don't want us to go back to the captain empty-handed. Meklavar, I want you to go with Pike." Valayun thought he made the right decision there.

"Understood, Jiro!" said the dwarf girl.

"Valayun, you and I will distract the guards. Pike and Meklavar, you will sneak into the ship."

Once Jiro and Valayun had begun fighting the sentinels, Pike and Meklavar's task turned out to be surprisingly easier than they'd been expecting. Once they'd snuck into the shipwreck, they found that the pirates were swimming out with whatever treasures they could carry, giving Meklavar time to pick up a few items. Inside the shipwreck it was very sinister. It wasn't even some boat that had sunk donkey's years ago and been nibbled by fish and engulfed by barnacles. Everything seemed so new and fresh – only sunken yesterday.

The boat was turned on its side and it was pretty disorientating as the pair swam through the rooms, their path only lit by open hatches and the odd porthole. They occasionally saw corpses of the crew who'd not been fortunate enough to escape before the ship had sunk (the ones who had been luckier had been captured by the sailors) as well as overturned boxes and barrels containing supplies. However, they couldn't really stop to observe anything. They had to find where the artefacts were stored before the divers returned.

Pike found the hardest thing about using his cloak underwater was that he had to keep it above his and Meklavar's bubble helmets at all times. He wasn't sure if he would burst them if the material pressed down, but he wasn't willing to take the risk. It was fortunate he could see out of the cloak and knew exactly where he was going though. There were plenty of obstacles in their path, including fish, turtles and broken planks of wood from where the sailors had brought down the ship with cannonballs.

They eventually found the room they were after and Meklavar swam out from underneath the cloak, picking up a chest, which she handed to Pike. She then picked up two more trunks and swam back beneath the cloak. He had to admit, she was a pretty good swimmer and much brawnier than she looked, but he shouldn't be surprised after he'd seen her lugging along her near-inseparable axe on every other adventure. Labouring in the dwarven mines had made her grow strong. She'd been busy from such a young age, working hard every day for long hours. It contrasted greatly with the easy-going life he'd led. He'd been lazy as a boy, the youngest of many cubs, and as he approached manhood his mother had asked him to leave the den and find his fortune. He'd spent the next few years pickpocketing, sleeping rough and living off the land. In all honesty, if he'd found out back then that a ship containing some rare items had sunk in a nearby sea, he'd probably have done the exact same thing as the armoured pirates, diving down to salvage whatever he could (most likely freediving – having Block's magic allowing him to breathe underwater was a real blessing!) and not giving a darn about whoever he was stealing it from. It was their loss, not his! Besides, was taking already stolen goods _really_ stealing…?

His current mission was such a role reversal! Instead of being a thief, now he was the hero, trying to avoid getting caught by a pack of harpoon-bearing pirates. He swam out of the ship with Meklavar and they headed for the surface, weighed down a lot by the cargo they were carrying. It took them a while but eventually Block's boat was in sight. However, not long before he and Meklavar were about to _finally_ pierce the surface, something caught his attention.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed some of the pirates, having dropped off their findings somewhere, were now returning to their ship. He also spotted Valayun, who was still fighting with one of the guards, using nothing but a plank of wood she'd found on the ocean floor to defend herself from his harpoon. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to be aware that there were some other frogmen right behind her…

In an instant, Pike dropped everything – quite literally – and teleported himself nearer Valayun.

"Hey!" cried Meklavar, as she found herself swamped with the heavy cloak.

The chest that Pike had been carrying sank like a stone, but he didn't give it a second thought. Valayun needed his help – and fast. One of the divers was approaching her from behind, harpoon at the ready…

Pike flung himself at the pirate, catching both the archer and her opponent by surprise. He pinned down the armoured diver and the two of them began wrestling, the thief trying to free his harpoon from Pike's grasp. Jiro was also engaged in a battle against one of the guards and was really torn when he noticed the predicament his virtually unarmed team-mate had got himself into. Valayun also found herself up against several more frogmen and Jiro abandoned the sentinel to assist her.

As Pike struggled, he considered if he could quickly pull his pocketknife out of his pouch, but he knew it wouldn't be much of a match against a barbed spear. The fight went on for a couple of minutes and before long he began to wonder how much longer he could hold off his attacker. He winced at the thought of the harpoon slicing into his flesh. Still, he would rather it were his than the lovely Valayun's…

"Pike, let go!" cried a voice from somewhere behind him.

This command took him completely by shock and for a few moments he hesitated, trying to work out who it was from. Then he realised it was actually Block's voice! He abruptly let go of the pirate, thrusting himself as far backwards as possible, in the hope of being out of harm's way. The enemy made a lunge for him, brandishing his harpoon, when all of a sudden a large bubble appeared out of seemingly nowhere and engulfed him! Pike took a second or two to register what had happened before he realised it was one of Block's spells. The enraged diver threw his spear at the bubble, possibly trying to burst it and stab Pike at the same time, but the quick rogue made himself vanish and rematerialize away from its direction.

The thief fighting with Valayun was also swallowed by a bubble and Pike turned to see Block, now wearing a helmet, swimming towards his team-mates, Meklavar at his side. He cast a few more spells and the other frogmen, including the one still battling Jiro, quickly became neutralised as well. The divers thrashed and struggled, often poking the bubbles with their harpoons, but there was no escape. They were completely left to the mercy of the water's currents. The team of heroes relaxed and turned to thank their sorcerer friend.

"You could have told me earlier there were other guys after the treasure!" said Block, "Man, are those real harpoons?" His eyes widened as he caught sight of the weapons their opponents had been using, many of whom were still stabbing their bouncy prisons with them or alternatively had cast them to the ground in defeat. "You guys could have been really hurt…"

"You got here at just the right time, Block." Jiro placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks to you, we can collect the rest of the artefacts as well as what those divers stole."

"Should I swim back to our boat and help you haul it in? I'm kind of worried it will drift off without me…"

Jiro thought that was a great idea and Block began making his way back to the surface. Just as the others started swimming towards the shipwreck to locate the rest of the treasure, Valayun turned to Pike and took hold of his hand, giving it a squeeze. "Thank you, Pike, for taking on that diver," she said gratefully. She then let go and swam ahead, leaving Pike feeling rather pleased with himself.

It took a while, but eventually the team managed to collect up the rest of the loot without any major obstructions and even found the underwater vessel that the frogmen had stowed their findings inside. Meklavar had never seen anything like it before and invited Block down to explore it with her once they'd finished gathering the treasure. Meanwhile, Jiro sunbathed in the boat (someone had to remain inside it!) and Valayun found a giant pink seahorse that was more than willing to let her ride on its back. She rode her noble steed around the ocean, passing by Pike (who was now relaxing in a bed of seaweed) and asked if he'd like to join her. They toured the undersea world together, seeing all kinds of wonders, such as mysterious caves, anemones in every colour of the rainbow, bizarre-looking fish and even the occasional mermaid, whom Pike made certain to wink at.

However, as beautiful as they were, none were as stunning as Valayun. Whilst sightseeing with her, he began to realise why he was no longer living life as a common thief, no better than the frogmen. He went on his first quest solely for the material rewards, but over time his purpose had changed. He'd made so many loyal friends in the team and had grown to share their noble motivations (well, most of the time…) One of them in particular was Valayun. Though she often perceived him as merely a silly flirt, he had such admiration for her. She made him a better person.

Maybe someday he would indeed find himself a wife. Someone who wouldn't mind having a lot of sex and thus a lot of offspring, and who'd be pretty good at managing all those children. She'd have to be some woman – but he honestly couldn't imagine finding a better one than Valayun. Still, he was pretty content for the time being with living as a bachelor, soon to be an uncle! He couldn't wait to spend time playing with Block and Meklavar's kid, eventually teaching them to fish and swim and stand on their head and play pranks on their unsuspecting parents…Block and Meklavar weren't going to be very pleased with him about that, but they knew it was only to be expected from a roguish bachelor uncle. He could tell he had a very happy life ahead of him.

Valayun would make a great aunt as well. She'd be a much more responsible babysitter than himself! Perhaps she would teach the child how to shoot arrows and style hair and dance and have table manners. She was very ladylike, after all…

Suddenly, Pike's train of thought was cut off. He could hear something rumbling in the distance – not from outside the cave, where a heavy snowfall had now begun, but rather from somewhere much deeper in it…or should he say _something_. Out of instinct, he fumbled for his bag, pulling a knife out of it. If there was someone or something else in the cave besides the team, he wasn't going to let it hurt him or any of his friends.

He sat upright and peered into the darkness. In the tunnel, he could just about make out something moving towards them. Something big. The thing snorted and two bursts of smoke and flames came from its nostrils.

"Er, guys?!" shouted Pike, "I think we ended up sharing a cave with a dragon!"

Valayun was the first to wake up and gasped in horror when she saw the creature pacing towards their camp. Jiro was abruptly woken up next and immediately grabbed his sword and shield, flinging off the bedclothes and getting into an attack stance. He set his sword alight and slowly stepped closer to the monster. By this time, Meklavar had awoken as well and was desperately poking her husband.

"Just five more minutes, babe…" mumbled Block, turning over.

"Block, get up NOW!"

Block sat bolt upright, wondering what could possibly be so urgent, and then got the fright of his life. There was an enormous dragon slowly edging nearer their camp, seemingly having come from deeper inside the cave, Jiro trying to ward it away with his flaming sword. Valayun picked up her bow and arrows, ready to assist him if necessary. Jiro swung, aiming for the creature's heart, but the beast spat out a torrent of flames. He jumped out of the way just in time and the flare-up miraculously only hit where the campfire had been a few hours ago.

"Retreat!" he ordered.

The others threw off their blankets and scrambled out of the cave as fast as their legs would carry them, Jiro and Valayun close behind, keeping an eye on the dragon. Block held his wife's hand as they ran for safety, feeling guilty he didn't have time to grab her cloak before they escaped. As if things could not get any worse, outside the snowfall was now beginning to turn into a blizzard.

"Get to shelter!" commanded Jiro, standing in front of the cave entrance, holding his sword in front of him. The signature flames were already fizzling out.

Though the dragon hadn't emerged yet, they could hear it giving off a throaty roar that was enough to make anyone's hair stand on end, but no-one turned around to see what was behind them as they charged through the storm, Jiro remaining behind. The ground was piled high with snow and it was difficult to see where they were going in the darkness. Valayun held up a glowing arrow, but it was obscured by the flying snow.

The group held their arms in front of their faces, trying to protect themselves. They tried to locate another cave, but there was no other opening they could find in the rock face, especially with such limited vision.

"It's no use!" cried Valayun, drawing to a halt. "I can't see a thing!"

Block was now embracing Meklavar, desperately trying to keep her warm. He was terrified she was going to catch cold or worse from the below freezing temperature. Pike felt the urge to wrap his own body around Valayun, but knew he could not. He wasn't even wearing his raggedy maroon cape so he couldn't offer it to her in a gentlemanly fashion.

The dragon roared again and the team could tell it wasn't far away. Valayun hoped Jiro was all right and almost wished she'd stayed behind to assist him. They'd defeated dragons before in the past, but it was always a big enough challenge in the best of circumstances. Right now hardly fit that description! With snow building up around their feet and icy winds slowly picking up speed, pelting their faces with snowflakes, and Meklavar heavily pregnant to boot, she might well have been justified in saying that it was their biggest challenge to date…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Meanwhile, Jiro was also struggling in the extreme weather. If the dragon hadn't had such an imposing figure, it might have grown near impossible to locate it, except for when it let out bursts of flames. Jiro dived out of the way each time that happened, shielding himself from the blasts, trying to form a strategy in his mind of how to defeat it. He noticed that the whirling snow quickly put out each ignition and began to get an idea. Out of the corner of his eye, he could just about make out a few figures standing not that far away from him.

"Block? Valayun?" he called. "I think I'm going to need your help!"

Block emerged from elsewhere in the storm, his arm around his wife. Her plaits were now caked with snow, as was Block's beard. Valayun and Pike were close behind.

"Valayun!" commanded Jiro, "I want you to fire an arrow into one of the storm clouds."

The mystical archer aimed her weapon upward and an arrow flew high into the atmosphere. Block let go of his wife, wanting her to be a safe distance from whatever spell he had to cast. He looked up at the sky, trying to work out what Jiro would want him to do next. He wasn't exactly certain what Valayun's arrow had done to the cloud, but a magical light was shining all the way across a section of the sky. He was just thinking that a small part of the cloud was looking a little bit nearer for some reason, when Jiro shouted, "Block! Use your magic to direct that snow into the dragon's mouth!"

Wait? What? Snow?! He was still a little confused as to what Valayun's magic had done, but he conjured a magical circle and did what Jiro had told him to…or at least as far as he understood. The dragon opened its jaws and growled, preparing to send another blast directly at the team, when all of a sudden he got a mouthful of snow! The beast tried to spit it out, but there seemed to be a never-ending fountain, pouring straight from the sky. Now Block began to realise just what Valayun's arrow had done to the cloud. She'd turned a huge chunk of it straight into snow, raining down as a massive avalanche!

The dragon retreated, clearly hating having its mouth assaulted by the frozen water, choking and spluttering. Jiro aimed and threw his sword directly into the creature's heart. It gave a blood-curdling cry and after several seconds of swaying to and fro, it collapsed to the ground with a massive CRUNCH on the snow.

Everyone stood silent for a few moments, trying to catch their breath back and work out whether or not the dragon was really dead. Jiro was the first to bravely venture forth. For a few moments he was out of sight, before emerging from the blizzard carrying his sword, dripping with the blood of the monster. Block was once more embracing Meklavar, her face buried in his chest. Pike had even surrendered to his instincts and was putting his arms around Valayun. She didn't seem to mind though – the storm was getting unbearably cold. Pike was glad he'd left his gloves on, if only to hide a smattering of fur, as he could imagine the others (who'd taken theirs off before bedtime) were starting to really feel the effects of the weather. Valayun's body was worryingly cold and he had a feeling if he took hold of one of her hands, it would be nearly frozen.

"Jiro!" cried Pike, his voice being nearly drowned out by the wind, "Can you guide us back to the cave?"

Jiro dug out the amulet, which was concealed beneath his chainmail. He closed his eyes and let the magic work, before saying, "Follow me."

He guided them through the storm, which was getting increasingly stronger, until eventually they arrived in the cave. The dragon had left a terrible mess behind, having stomped on many of their belongings. The stuffing had come out of the pillows Meklavar had transmuted and also Pike's sleeping bag, much to his annoyance.

The team were half-frozen after their ordeal in the snow. Block bent down and took hold of his wife's hand, to find it was ice cold. Now they were back in the cave, it was time to get her warm again. He found his wife's magical gloves and created two new pillows for. He helped her lie down, head resting on the pillows, and draped the blankets over her, giving her tummy another rub, before turning to look at where the fire had been a few hours ago. He wished he had some more wood to start another, but there was no chance he could get any in this weather.

"I really need to find some way of getting you warm again, babe. Your hands are like blocks of ice!"

"I'll be fine, Block! Once you're back in bed with me, I'll heat up again."

"Uh…I don't think you're going to like this, but I know one way we could get warm real fast…" He scratched his collar.

"Block, what are you talking about?" Meklavar sounded a little suspicious.

Her husband avoided eye contact. "Well…I mean…I've heard about it from some healers I've worked with…if we remove our…uh…clothes…"

The dwarf woman suddenly twigged. "NO. No way," she said firmly.

Block closed his eyes and gave the back of his neck a good scratch. "Yeah…I didn't think you'd like that part…"

"I didn't mind removing some of them to get pregnant, but…you know how I am, Block. It's awkward enough whenever you give me a bath!"

Block would often bathe her using their metal tub and some cauldrons of water warmed on the hearth, scrubbing her hair with soap. She'd stopped having it cut after getting married – there was no need to bother now she knew she wasn't going to return to working in the mines again. Whenever he bathed her, he could see the toll being a miner had paid on her body. Her skinny frame was subtly muscular from where she'd toiled day and night and she had at least a dozen scars from minor accidents, though he supposed some of them could have been from battles as well. He was glad she had never been badly injured, as he knew serious disasters, often resulting in fatalities, were common for miners.

He sometimes pictured her back in her mining days, wearing a ragged pair of leggings and a dirt-stained sleeveless top, her face and hair streaked with grime, trying to carve into a rock face with a pickaxe. Her only light came from the candle on her metal hat, as well as the hats of the other miners, protected by little more than a pair of thick gloves, the sturdy boots she wore with her armour and a grubby scarf to go over her nose whenever there was dust in the air. He could imagine her coughing from the rock dust. Exposure to stuff like that couldn't have been good for her lungs! He knew many older dwarves who worked in the mines had terrible coughs and often died from related diseases. Last winter, Meklavar had come down with a cough and at first he had worried it might have been serious, but she had returned to normal in just over a week, a sign it had only been a passing cold.

He always was concerned about her getting ill though, in case her lungs were too weak to handle it. Despite his skills in magic and them having a good physician in their village, he knew there could be a chance she would not make it and nothing made his heart ache more than the thought of losing his lovely wife. He especially didn't want her to be poorly in her present condition, about to give birth at any time and welcome their new baby into the world, who he _definitely_ didn't want her to pass an illness onto.

"I…uh…guess we'll just keep our clothes on then…" said Block, surreptitiously looking around to make certain none of the others were eavesdropping on their private conversation. He was actually rather glad Meklavar hadn't liked his idea, because he certainly wasn't comfortable with the thought of undressing in front of his friends. The only person he would do that in front of was his wife, whenever she gave _him_ a bath.

"I'm sure your cuddles will help keep me warm." Meklavar winked. There was nothing Block loved more than holding his wife close before they drifted off to sleep.

"Yeah…I guess so!" He was beginning to relax a little, when all of a sudden he noticed that their bag was looking rather squashed.

He was relieved to see his staff, which was sat beside it, was unharmed, but their bag had clearly been trampled by the dragon some when during their evacuation. He opened it up and gasped in horror. Though his books seemed all right, his precious bowl had been smashed to pieces! He scooped up the fragments and cradled them in his arms, tears comically forming in his eyes.

"Oh no! Not my baby! I thought I'd never be hungry again!"

After mourning for a few moments, he turned to look at his wife, who was looking pretty worried. Much as he hated feeling empty, he couldn't help but think it wasn't him who needed nourishment the most. He knew he would be willing to go without food if it meant his wife and child were well-fed, but with the bowl broken, there wouldn't be any for either of them – or his friends. He cursed himself for coming to rely so much on the basin whilst going on journeys over the last few years.

The others, who had likewise been checking their possessions, had also noticed what had become of the bowl.

"Don't worry, Block," reassured Jiro, "We still have some supplies left."

"Oh man, that's a relief!" Block tucked the fragments back into his bag, hoping he could try and mend the container when he got home. He looked at his wife once more, wishing she wasn't in such difficult circumstances. He could only wish there was enough food to last her and the baby until the quest was over.

Once everyone had assessed that they'd suffered no other major damages, they climbed back into bed and tried to get back to sleep, praying that the dragon that had attacked them earlier didn't have a room-mate! Pike had re-stuffed his sleeping bag to the best of his ability, but the monster had left such gaping holes in the fabric, it was nigh impossible to prevent it from escaping again. When Valayun saw his predicament, she took one of the blankets off her bed and handed it to him.

"Thank you for sounding the alarm," she said with a beam, before going back to her own bed.

Pike laid the blanket over his torn sleeping bag and began to feel a little bit cosier. However, the warmth he felt wasn't just physical. It was so good to know once again that Valayun appreciated his efforts as a member of the team. He remembered holding her close while they were out in the storm. Man, he'd wanted to do that for the past four years, but never thought the day would come when it would actually happen! However, it hadn't been for the reason he'd been hoping. Rather than it being the result of Valayun reciprocating the attraction he had towards her, it had been because of a protective instinct he had for her – the beautiful angel that he knew could never be his. He really had come so far over the last few years and he was proud of it.

After thinking about this for a while, he finally started to feel drowsy. Before he knew it, he'd fallen fast asleep and was dreaming of the many possible exploits to come on the morrow.

…

The next morning, Jiro was the first to awaken. He clambered back into his armour and draped his winter cloak over his shoulders, before setting about finding whatever was left of their supplies for breakfast. The others woke up to an unappetising meal of several small, stale loaves of bread and cold, grimy pieces of bacon, along with a little water. Yesterday's lunch had consisted of figs, apples, cheese, lukewarm bacon and some slightly less stale bread. Though simple, it now seemed like a feast in comparison.

After washing themselves to the best of their ability, using soap and some of their water supplies (heated up in a bowl over the fire), the rest of the team wrapped themselves up in their winter gear, though still leaving off their hoods and Meklavar her cap. The group sat around the campfire and began to eat. Though Block was hungry as usual, he couldn't bring himself to even take one bite of the hard roll. His eyes were on his wife the whole time she was eating her own loaf, especially her belly. Once she had devoured the last morsel, he hesitated and then handed her his own.

Meklavar tried to give it back. "I can't take this!"

Block refused it. "Please, honey! One loaf isn't going to last you until whenever we next find food." His own stomach was rumbling, but he ignored it.

"Are you sure?"

"Our baby needs it more than I do." Meklavar reluctantly accepted it and began to eat. Once she had finished, Block reached over and patted her tummy. "I know it's not much, little one, but I'm afraid it's all we've got at the moment."

"I could transmute some rocks into bread if we can't find anything later."

Block knew all too well that alchemised loaves never tasted as good as the real thing, but they sounded better than the miserable breakfast he'd just fed her. There were no rocks of a suitable size left after Meklavar had created her pillows and he knew he would have to deal with his hunger until lunchtime came.

"I might be able to hunt an animal," Valayun put forward, "Though I'm not sure how many will be roaming the woods at this time of year. Most of them will be in hibernation."

Shortly after breakfast, the team packed their bags and resumed their long journey, once more guided by the amulet. After the previous night's storm, there was a thick layer of snow on everything. The hard ground and the trees' bare branches looked very beautiful now they were decorated with a white frosting. Along the way, Valayun kept a look out for any animals she could hunt and Pike filled a basket she'd brought with winter berries. He was accustomed to foraging and knew exactly which berries were poisonous. The fruits were splashes of colour dotted upon thin branches heavy with snow – mostly red, but some violet or even blue.

By lunchtime, most of the basket was full, and Valayun had hunted a deer, which Jiro was carrying over his shoulders, while Block set up a campfire in the middle of three fallen logs that must have been arranged by previous passer-bys, his wife propped up against one of them, resting on her transmuted pillows. He prepared the deer's meat for their meal while the others contemplated what to do with the pelt. Meklavar decided to transmute it into a new sleeping bag for Pike, which he was very pleased about.

After the meat was cooked, everyone sat down to a much more filling meal of a few slices of venison and a handful of berries each. Block's stomach had really started growling while roasting the deer but he felt much better after he'd finished his lunch. There was still plenty of meat to spare – enough for when suppertime rolled around.

Once the others had polished theirs off, Jiro put down his wooden plate and removed the amulet from his neck, where he'd been wearing it during the meal. "We need to get on with our quest. Time waits for no man."

"Just how long is this journey going to take?" queried Pike, who was facing him, "We've been travelling for two quintants! Can't the necklace make you have a…hourglass vision or something?"

"I don't know, Pike. I only hope we can make it before the imp's spell cannot be reversed."

"How do you know there even _is_ an imp? Who even told you that he'd made an entire village disappear? I bet you only heard about him from some old bards!"

Jiro remained calm. "I heard many rumours of his deeds whilst travelling through a nearby kingdom."

"RUMOURS?!" Pike stood straight up, his fur practically standing on end. "You mean we could just be on a wild goose chase?"

Valayun, who was sat next to Pike, wanted to intervene but wasn't quite sure how to.

Jiro stood up as well, trying not to lose his temper. "That's not what I meant. All over the kingdom, I heard many stories of his mischief and even saw the evidence of what he'd done to the crops and homes of people he took advantage of."

"You heard _stories_?" Pike raised a finger. "And you just expected these people to be telling the whole truth?"

"It's my duty as a Paladin to assist the defenceless whenever necessary."

"Uh oh! This doesn't look good…" worried Block, watching from a safe distance.

"Just what we need…" said Meklavar, whom he was sat beside, "A fall-out between Jiro and Pike."

"I'm not a Paladin," continued Pike, "When you're a rogue, you learn you can't just believe everything anyone tells you. People make up tall tales all the time, usually for profit."

"Pike, these people were not after money. Their homes and gardens had been ravaged and they needed someone to help them regain what they'd lost. I talked with them, one-on-one."

Pike was silent for a few seconds as his tension died down. He sat back on the log, realising his frustration had blinded him. "I'm sorry, Jiro. I guess they weren't-"

Suddenly, Meklavar gave off a growl, looking like she was in discomfort. She placed a hand on her bump. Block's heart sank.

"No, no, NO! Please don't be now!" He took hold of her other hand.

Valayun sprang to her feet and moved over to where she was sitting, crouching beside the dwarf woman. "Take a nice deep breath," she advised.

Meklavar inhaled deeply and then exhaled. She repeated this process several times. Pike and Jiro were looking at her in concern, having completely forgotten about their argument. Valayun carefully lifted up her friend's skirt, adjusting it so that it exposed her lower legs, upon which she was wearing woollen knee-high socks with her usual clunky ankle boots upon her feet, ready to deliver the baby. However, after about a minute Meklavar's breaths went back to normal and she looked less pained.

"I…guess I'm not going to give birth just yet."

"Phew!" Block let go of her hand and wiped his forehead. "It was just a false alarm."

"What just happened there? I thought I was going into labour!"

"You haven't broken water," Valayun observed, pulling the material back over Meklavar's legs, "I think it just might have been your body preparing for when it will give birth, which should happen very soon. We really had better get a move on." She rose to her feet.

Block helped Meklavar up from where she was sitting on the ground while Pike also got back on his feet. Jiro put out the fire and Block packed away the spare meat before they resumed their journey.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

The snow had not melted and neither had the temperature changed. The intrepid team trod through the white mass, which was up to their ankles. Before long, it began to get dark and the winds started picking up, foreshadowing yet another storm.

"Block, I'm getting real tired," said Meklavar weakly, drawing to a halt. She was clutching her husband's arm.

"We'll find somewhere to stop for dinner soon," responded Block. "Can you hold on until then?"

Meklavar nodded. Her eyes looked weary, which concerned her husband.

"Did you get enough sleep last night?" he asked.

"I thought so," his wife replied, "I fell asleep easy after we'd gotten rid of that dragon, though I did get woken up again a couple hours later by the baby moving. It wasn't for more than a varga, I think, though."

Block took hold of both her hands. "You need to find somewhere to rest. The baby could arrive at any time! You have to get your strength up." He let go of her and they were about to continue walking when a thought crossed his mind. "Uh, do you mind if I carry you?"

Meklavar was about to turn down his offer, when she realised that strong and independent as she was, it would be really nice to rest after the day's journey. "Sure. Go ahead."

Block promptly picked up her up and caught up to the group, who had paused once they noticed their friends were left behind. "We really need to find somewhere for my wife to rest. She didn't get enough sleep last night."

The others were a little surprised to see Meklavar in his arms. Earlier that day, they'd been teasing him about his wife carrying him down the aisle at their wedding, with her axe in the other arm! Block had assured them that actually _hadn't_ happened (Meklavar hadn't even brought her axe to the ceremony!) but his wife found it amusing all the same.

Normally, Meklavar, tough as ever, would have plodded on no matter how exhausted she was – a little fatigue wasn't going to stop a fearsome warrior like herself! – but things were different in her current condition. Over the last seven months, she'd found there were many times she had to rely on Block.

During the early stages of pregnancy, she had been very sick. Indeed, it was after several days of her throwing up every morning that Block had cast a spell to determine if she was expecting a baby. With a fully armoured Meklavar standing in front of him he'd created a circle with his magic, said an incantation and waited for the correct symbol to appear on the circle. It had been a very nervous wait as well. Was this the moment his and Meklavar's lives were going to change forever?

After about half a minute of watching him stare at the magical hologram, expression unchanging, his wife asked, "Block? Is something wrong?"

A few more seconds passed.

"Meklavar…" Block began to smile. He looked as though he might be about to cry. "You're going to be a _Mom!_ "

Quick as a flash, the circle dissipated and Block grabbed her into a bear hug. Despite the surprise, Meklavar didn't mind at all, and neither did Block mind cuddling her while she was still clad in her bulky armour. After holding her close for a while, tears began to form in his eyes. He let go of her and rose to his full height, still placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I still can't believe it worked," said Meklavar, looking down at her navel. She was not starting to show yet and probably wouldn't for a while, but it was amazing to think that there was an actual child growing somewhere inside of her. Her and Block's child. "I wonder what our baby's going to look like. Do you think it'll be short like me or tall like you or somewhere in between?"

"I…don't know," responded Block, "I can't remember if I've met any half-dwarves before. To be honest, I didn't really know any dwarves before I met you."

Meklavar looked him in the eye. "I don't think I really knew any sorcerers before I met you."

Block let go of her shoulder and took hold of her hand. "I'm sure glad we met though," he said with a smile.

"Me too." Meklavar smiled too and her face looked truly radiant.

It was perhaps the only time she looked so ecstatic during the early stages of pregnancy, as for nearly two months after discovering the news, she felt sick every morning, often bringing up whatever little she was able to eat.

"Can't you give me a potion?" she asked her husband one day, "Surely there's gotta be one that can stop me from feeling sick!"

"I can't, honey," replied Block, only hoping the affectionate nickname he'd called her wasn't making her nauseous again, "You've got to be so careful using magic on pregnant women. I couldn't bear the thought of harming our baby."

A natural remedy he suggested instead was ginger, so he started to bake her gingerbread every day (despite having a bowl that could conjure food, he still loved to cook on occasion) and would coax her to eat it. It pained him to see her suffering so much. He knew how much he hated feeling sick himself and he was very prone to it when riding his staff for long periods of time. Often, he would mop her green brow, trying to keep her cool. She remained in bed much of the days she was ill, only changing into her armour once she no longer felt sick. In the afternoons and evenings, life carried on much the same, though she thought it would be unwise to engage in any axe-fighting. It was the summertime and Block spent his days helping others with his skills in sorcery. After it got late, they would meet with their friends in the tavern, though neither he nor Meklavar drank any beer. One time the barman asked why this was and Meklavar revealed her little secret. The others in the pub were so pleased for her and Block, shaking their hands and congratulating them.

Eventually, much to her relief, her morning sickness started to ease and her appetite returned. In all honesty, before long she had worked up quite an appetite! She began eating three square meals again, often with second helpings, and slices of bread spread with a nut paste for snacks in between. It didn't take long for her pregnancy to start showing.

"This baby sure loves to eat," commented Meklavar one suppertime, as she was onto her second bowl of stew. She had stopped wearing her armour a while ago and was instead wearing a floor-length green dress with short sleeves and a laced bodice, a white peasant blouse beneath. It was getting rather tight around the waist from where her belly was growing and she was planning to visit the tailor soon for a maternity gown. "I think I know where it gets that from…" She looked at Block knowingly. Her husband grinned, a second helping of stew in front of him as well.

Meklavar's family came to visit a few days later. They were all just as excited about her having a baby and her mother gave her a private chat, which Block figured was probably about raising their little one and, more immediately, her impending delivery. She'd had a similar one-on-one talk with her not long after they'd got married as well (there had been much jubilation on her family's part after hearing of her surprise union to her best friend, though it could be safely said it wasn't much of a surprise to her father…) and Block had worked out what _that_ was bound to be about…

The day after that, she and Block were pottering about in the garden, digging weeds and trimming hedges (more especially on Block's part though!) when all of a sudden Meklavar felt a slight flutter in her belly.

"Huh?" she said.

Block, who was on his hand and knees, pulling up a dandelion, turned to face her. "Are you all right, babe?"

"I'm fine, I just felt a…" There was another movement. "…oh my gosh! I think that's the baby moving!"

Meklavar was standing so her husband leaned over and planted his cheek against her bump. A few seconds later, he felt it kick too.

"Aww…" he whispered. "Meklavar…that's _our baby_."

Meklavar placed a hand on her tummy. "It's _really_ kicking now! I think this little one's going to grow up to be a warrior."

"I can see where it gets that from…" said Block reflectively, closing his eyes as his and Meklavar's baby continued to move around, only a few inches away from his face.

A month and a half later, the baby had grown rapidly, as had the anticipation of its parents. It was the middle of autumn and Block had gathered some firewood to put into their winter store. Meklavar had taught him earlier that year how to wield her axe and though he was not nearly as skilled as her, he was now using it to cut up the wood in their front garden. It was a draining task and he soon wiped his brow from the effort.

Meklavar was stood a safe distance away from him. "I would help you there, big guy, but I'm pretty much out of action at the moment. Man, I can't believe it's been _phoebs_ since I last used my axe…"

The dwarf woman was wearing her maternity dress and peasant blouse, which she had had fitted more than a month ago and just in time to accommodate her bump.

"It's OK, baby," said Block, "I'm sure I can manage on my own."

 _I'll HAVE to manage on my own_ , he thought with a mental gulp.

As the winter arrived, the couple spent most of their time indoors, save when Block was out using his sorcery skills to help others who were sick. Meklavar was left on her own for long periods of time and though she tried to use it wisely by knitting items of clothing for their coming baby, her frustration from her lack of skill in the matter, combined with cabin fever, soon drove her nearly mad.

One night, after Block had assisted her with changing into her nightie (which was floor-length with a rounded, drawstring neck; slight trumpet sleeves and just enough bagginess to easily fit over her growing belly), she sat on their bed and said, "You know what, Block? This really sucks. At least I'm not sick any more, but I can't do anything apart from eat, sleep and knit!"

She flopped backward onto the mattress, her shoulder-length hair spread out across the blanket. Her pyjama-clad husband sat beside her and then fell down so they were lying side by side.

"That sounds like the worst," he responded, "Well, maybe not so much the eating and sleeping parts, but yeah, I see what you mean…"

"It's crazy! I've fought ogres ten times my size, slain several dragons and retrieved the Grail of Xalph from the tomb of a Minotaur, but this has to be the most difficult quest I've ever been on. Meklavar, the best axe fighter in three lands, has now been almost defeated by a baby!" She rubbed her tummy. "Did you hear that, little one? Carrying you has been a bigger challenge than defeating the witch of Venric. To think once we thought breaking her curse was going to be an impossible task!"

Block grinned. He'd never have believed back then that one day he'd actually be grateful for the witch's inconvenience!

"I wish I could stay at home with you, honey, but I need to use my skills every quintant to provide for us. Have you tried reading my books on sorcery?"

"Sure, I've tried, but I can't make head or tail of them!"

"Oh. Yeah. I forgot it wasn't that long ago that you couldn't read. I could invite our folks over to keep you company for a few quintants."

"I don't know if they could make the journey, especially since it might snow again soon. I'm really going to be stuck in the house when that happens!" Meklavar had tried wrapping up warm and looking for tasks around her garden, but since it was the last month of the year, there had been very little for her to do.

"Sometimes I'm quite tempted to turn you into a snow wolf and take you to work with me. I'm sure my patients would love to stoke their hands through your fur."

Meklavar grinned, imagining how that would feel. "I can't really have you performing sorcery on me though. Not until the baby's out." She yawned loudly. "I hope I get a good night's sleep tonight. It was really keeping me up last night with all those kicks!"

Block yawned as well. "I think we both need a good night's rest."

He sat up. Meklavar tried to do the same, but was so heavy she was unable to lift herself. She tried again and the same thing happened. "Block? Can you help me up?"

Her husband got off the bed, took hold of her hand and pulled her up. Once she was stood up again, she took hold of the blanket and clambered into bed, where her pillows had already been arranged for comfort. Block went round the other side and climbed in beside her. Before he laid his own head on his pillow, he leaned over and they shared a goodnight kiss.

"Night, babe," he said. He then kissed his fingers and rubbed them over his wife's bump, "Night, little one."

That conversation was now a month ago. Here they were now, on an adventure that had come without warning (it was fortunate Meklavar's lack of interest in sex had prevented their more long-term quest from also being of that variety!) far away from home and still uncertain quite how they were going to accomplish their pending task.

After Meklavar's labour scare, Block was feeling almost certain that their child was going to arrive later that night. She was considerably heftier than usual and it was difficult carrying her as he walked, alongside his bag and staff, despite his strength. (He was pretty glad she was unable to wear her armour as well at the moment. He knew from experience what it was like carrying her when she was wearing it!)

After several minutes of scouring the forest for a suitable place for them to take shelter, he saw something completely unexpected. The further they'd journeyed into the woods, the less they saw of other life. There were occasional animals, but it was rare to pass another humanoid. With that being said, it was unsurprising that they saw fewer dwellings as well, always in the form of run-down hovels or makeshift shelters, occupied by elderly sprites and brownies.

It had been a long while since he last saw a house of any variety now, so it came as a great surprise when he noticed another home tucked away in the woodland, beside a flowing river. Even more bewilderingly, it was not some abandoned shack either – it was a pleasant though fairly small cottage, not so different from his and Meklavar's own abode. It had a stone pathway leading up to it (which had the snow swept from it), a small garden that must have looked very fine in the summer and also a water wheel at the side, making the most of the building's position.

It wasn't just Block who had spotted it either – the other team members couldn't really have missed it!

"I wonder who lives there?" he asked. Everyone had paused.

"Probably some rich dude who wants to hide his vast fortune away from common thieves…" suggested Pike, with a mischievous expression.

"Actually guys…" said Jiro, holding up the amulet, "It's the place we've been looking for this whole time."

The others all swivelled to look at him.

"Wait, so that's where the imp lives?" cried Pike. He turned to look at the house again. "I can't say this guy's doing too bad…"

"It wasn't quite what I was expecting when I saw a vision of it the other day," said Valayun, also taking a second look.

Jiro put away the amulet. "We need a plan. Somehow, we're going to find this imp's name, even if it means we have to search his house from top to bottom…"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

A hand rapped on the cottage door.

"Please let us in!" cried Block, whose wife was stood beside him, holding his hand, "My wife is big with child and needs somewhere to rest."

There was no response. After half a minute, the young sorcerer knocked again, but there was yet again no answer. He beckoned to the others, who had been hiding in the bushes.

"Guys! There's nobody home!"

After a short while, they cautiously moved out of their hiding place, still fearing any minute the imp might spring out of nowhere and spot what they were doing. They walked up to where their friends were standing.

"We need to find some way in," said Jiro, "Pike? Can you get us inside the house?"

"I sure can!" Pike put his hands on his hips proudly. "I knew my old thieving ways were bound to come in handy at some point…"

 _At least he now admits he was a thief_ , thought Valayun with a smile.

Pike was about to start exploring the exterior of the house when Meklavar spoke up. "You know, guys? I could just transmute a key."

Block dug her gloves out of their bag and before long she'd turned a small stone she'd found on the path into a key. She handed it to Jiro, who used it to unlock the door, and the group slipped inside. Jiro drew out his sword, just in case there were any nasty surprises lying in wait. As it happened, the place was completely empty. The cottage's interior was rather cosy and appealing. It had a large fireplace, a dining table furnished with a lace tablecloth, two cushioned armchairs in front of the fire and a few shelves of books. Whoever this imp was, he was very well-read.

Block sat Meklavar down on one of the armchairs while Pike started sniffing the bookshelves. Jiro raised an eyebrow, wondering how he was possibly supposed to smell out a name, when the former thief removed one of the books and started flicking through the pages. He went through the entire book, scanning every page, until he'd reached the end and placed it back on the shelf, careful not to make it look like it had been moved. Thankfully, the imp seemed to be a rather meticulous cleaner and there wasn't even the slightest layer of dust upon the books. He sniffed the shelf again, picked out another book and repeated the process.

"Pike, what exactly are you doing?" asked Jiro.

"I'm looking through his journals," answered Pike, "Maybe he'll have written his name down somewhere in them."

Pike continued to look through all the notebooks on the shelf and also, with Jiro and Valayun's help, peeped at the front pages of all the other books. Eventually, they'd been through every last one, to no avail.

"Whoever this imp is, he certainly doesn't want us to discover his secret!" said Valayun.

Jiro glanced at the window, which he had found himself doing out of habit every minute or so ever since they'd entered the building, fearing the imp could return home any second.

"There might be more books upstairs," he said, "Pike, come with me. Valayun, stay down here and keep watch."

"Understood, Jiro." The archer held up her bow and loaded it with an arrow, just in case.

Jiro and Pike headed up the stairs and found themselves in an attic bedroom, every wall lined with books. It was obvious that the owner of the house was rather short, as the two young men nearly banged their heads on the ceiling. Pike began sniffing again for the journals, crawling on his hands and knees (a pretty wise idea in such a small space…) while Jiro kept an eye on the room's one window, which looked over a portion of the forest.

Downstairs, Block had seated himself in the other armchair and was watching Meklavar with a smile. She had closed her eyes and was completely still.

Valayun was pacing up and down the room, looking for any sign of movement through the windows, but after a while she noticed how peaceful Meklavar seemed and whispered, "Is she asleep, Block?"

"I think so," responded the sorcerer, "She really was tired out after our journey today."

Valayun observed how fondly he was gazing at her. She'd seen that expression on his face several times over the last two days and each time it warmed her heart.

"It's hard to believe once I never would have realised you two would make such a lovely couple. It's wonderful to see you moving on and starting a family."

"Meklavar has no idea what a great Mom she's going to be. She's already sacrificed so much for our baby. I can't believe she tells me sometimes that she thinks she isn't cut out for motherhood!"

"I'm not surprised she's having her doubts! This is a big step forward for the both of you. It's not something I think I could do." Valayun rested a hand on the kitchen table.

"Man, this baby has already changed our lives in so many ways. I just hope I'm ready to be a father." Block's eyes were upon where his child was growing.

"Block," said Valayun firmly, "I cannot think of a single person more ready for fatherhood than yourself."

Block looked at Valayun. She smiled in return. He couldn't help but think she was going to make a wonderful aunt for his son or daughter…

Without warning, there was an almighty CRASH! Block and Valayun jumped out of their skins and Meklavar was abruptly woken up.

"What on Altea was that?!" cried Valayun, looking at the ceiling. The noise had come from upstairs (no surprises there…) and she could just about make out the sound of voices, which sounded rather flustered in tone.

"Was I asleep?" asked a disorientated Meklavar.

Block got out of his chair and knelt beside her, taking her hand. "Shh…shh…go back to sleep…" he whispered, "You need to get your strength back."

Meanwhile, Valayun drew nearer the staircase. "Is everything all right up there?" she called.

After a few seconds, she heard Jiro reply, "It's fine. My shield just got caught on the bedside table."

 _Curse this tiny room_ , he thought.

Valayun went back to her post, noticing that Meklavar had once more closed her eyes and was settling down. The dwarf woman had just managed to drop off again when Jiro and Pike arrived downstairs again.

"Look what we found…" Pike opened a diary he was carrying and pointed to a particular page.

Valayun looked at where he was pointing. "That must be his name!"

Pike tucked the book away into his bag. "No need to thank me!"

"We need to get out of here," said Jiro, "The imp could return home at any time."

He was also wary that though he and Pike had tried to arrange the table and all the items on top of it (one of which had happened to be the journal) as they had been before his unfortunate accident, there was no way it looked exactly identical as it had done before, especially with one particular book being missing. The team scrambled out of the house, Meklavar locking the door behind them, and went back onto the main pathway. As they walked, Valayun asked Jiro how they were going to locate the imp.

"I don't know," he replied,

"Can you use the amulet to find him?"

"I'll try…" Jiro paused and closed his eyes. The others stopped and looked at him, before he opened his eyes again. "It's no good. This necklace can only find houses, not people."

"There must be a way. My father would not send you on a mission he knew you could not complete!"

Meanwhile, Pike had started nosing through the imp's journal. "If we're going to find this guy, maybe we should learn some stuff about him…"

"Pike, that _is_ his private property…" Valayun reminded him.

"Sure, I know that, but what other choice do we have?" He flicked through several pages and then suddenly snorted with laughter. "Are you kidding me?! This guy rides around on a ladle!"

"I've heard stories about imps and other creatures riding on real strange things," responded Meklavar, "There's even a witch who rides in a pestle!"

"What, really?" said Block, "I thought they rode brooms."

Meklavar was about to reply, when she was interrupted by another burst of laughter from Pike.

"Oh man, that's gross! You wouldn't believe what this man does in-"

"Pike, that's enough!" commanded Jiro, "This imp may be dangerous, but that's no excuse to share all his secrets. It's disrespectful."

"What's the big deal? It's not like he's going to find out – AAARRGH!"

Pike completely freaked out. A few paces away from the group had appeared a figure, seemingly out of nowhere. The person was a little over two feet tall, with a thin, wiry body, ginger hair (as well as a beard and a rather prominent moustache…) and was clad in a scruffy brown suit. Pike had heard all his life about the dangers of speaking too soon, but surely this was just ridiculous!

"Wait?! What?! How did you…?!" Pike pointed at the creature.

"So, I hear that you've been looking for me…" The imp tugged on his lapels. He had a Kiwi accent (come to think of it, much like most of the other villains they'd been up against over the last few years…) with a rather jovial tone.

"Block?" Jiro nudged the sorcerer. "I think we might need you to perform that incantation…"

"…and what exactly am I supposed to say in this incantation?" Block responded, trying not to panic.

"…did you use your magic to locate us?" Pike was finally able to get out.

"I might have done…" replied the imp, "…if it hadn't been much easier to just follow the footprints you left in the snow!"

Pike slapped a hand over his forehead. "Duh!"

"Just make it up." Jiro patted Block on the shoulder. "You'll do fine."

"OK…" Block gulped, visibly shaking. "Wait…what actually is this guy's name?"

Jiro leant over and whispered in his ear.

"Er…OK…got it!" Block stepped forward, until he was right in front of the mischief-maker. He pointed his stick at him. The imp just crossed his arms, completely unfazed. "By the power of this staff, I command you – Nukjul – to…you know…bring those people back and stuff."

 _I hope that worked…_ he thought.

However, no magic came out of the staff. He withdrew it, looking to see if there was anything wrong. "Oh man…"

The imp just burst out laughing. "I really had you fooled there, didn't I?" He wiped away tears.

"Wait?" said Jiro, "You tricked us? How?"

"Do you really think I'd leave a journal lying around with my real name in it? That's just my nickname. The only place you'll find my real name is in here." He pointed to his forehead. "However, if you're really keen to get that village back, I might be able to negotiate a deal…" He began stroking his beard.

Jiro gently pushed Block, who moved out of the way, allowing the Paladin to position himself right in front of the imp. Jiro bent down to his level. "What kind of deal?"

"Is it just me, or does this not sound good?" Block was once more stood at Meklavar's side. His wife took hold of his arm.

"You could offer me something of value in return for bringing that village back…"

"Here, take this." Valayun stepped forth, presenting one of her arrows. "It's a magical creature summoning arrow. It's not been much use since the death of my noble steed."

The imp eyed it for a few seconds, but didn't seem that interested. "I was thinking of something a little more…precious than that…" He inspected the members of the group, leaving them feeling rather uneasy. If a rare magical item wasn't something he wanted, than what _was_ he after…? Eventually his gaze settled on Meklavar. The dwarf woman was very disconcerted by the wicked smile that began to cross his face, especially as she noticed he was staring directly at her belly. "…perhaps…your first-born child?"

"WHAT?!" spat Meklavar, "You WOULDN'T DARE." Block had to hold her back before she launched herself at the two feet terror, probably with the intention of booting him into the middle of next week.

"Now, LISTEN HERE," said Jiro sternly, still at the imp's level. The others had never seen him look so cross before. "Block and Meklavar are NOT under any circumstances going to give you their baby. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

The imp looked shaken for a moment, before an unnerving expression crept upon his face. "If you decide to give me the baby, maybe I'll be persuaded not to make you face the same fate as that village you mentioned earlier…"

He let that sink in, looks of sheer horror forming upon the faces of every member of the team.

"I'll see you around in another varga. Maybe you'll have changed your minds by then!"

With that, the imp vanished, leaving the group utterly speechless. Block was holding his wife close, looking as though he was about to cry. Meklavar was gazing down at her tummy, which she'd placed both hands upon protectively. Valayun had clapped a hand over her mouth in shock, having dropped her bow and arrow. Pike's face was frozen in astonishment and as Jiro rose to his full height, he began to look even angrier than he had before.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Back in the real world, this revelation had left the game's players almost as stunned.

"What?!" cried Lance, "There's no way we can defeat that guy!"

Allura turned to her guardian. "Coran, I hope you haven't made this game too challenging."

"No need to worry, princess. There's a simple solution to the characters' predicament…"

"Would you mind giving us some clues?" queried Hunk, who had his arm around Pidge, "I don't know about you, but I'm getting kind of worried about our characters' baby…" Pidge looked equally anxious.

Allura's pet mice had made their way into the room not long ago and were likewise looking very concerned.

"Well, for starters, the imp was lying when he said that he was the only person who knows his own name," said Coran, "Imps aren't exactly known for their honesty!"

"Then…who else knows it?" asked Shiro.

Coran scratched his chin. "They say that only a witch can reveal the true name of an imp. Wouldn't it be useful if the characters knew a witch they could turn to…?" He looked at Hunk.

"…uh…what?"

"Hunk?" piped up Pidge, "What about the witch of Venric?"

"Oh no…please, anyone but her!"

"Remember what happened the day _after_ our characters got married…?"

…

Block had woken up at a regular time on the morning after his wedding, but since he'd completed a particularly challenging quest the day before, decided to treat himself to a lie-in. Meklavar was also awake but seemed to have the same idea. Block turned onto his side and began spooning with her. His wife didn't seem to mind. _I could get used to this_ , he thought. Over the years he'd shared many cuddles with his best friend, but never as intimate as this before. Whilst camping out together on their many quests, they'd always slept in separate sleeping bags. Meklavar had been prone to wearing her armour constantly, even when she was sleeping (though it always mystified him how she managed to get comfy!), so it wouldn't have been very easy to give her affection.

In actual fact, Meklavar had purchased her nightie the day before, after she'd mentioned to the dressmaker who'd made her new gown that she was intending to use it as a wedding dress. The seamstress had recommended (with a wink) purchasing some new underwear, but Meklavar hadn't been that bothered. However, the tailoress' suggestion had made her abruptly realise that she was now going to be sharing a bed with Block, prompting her to buy a nightgown. Her last one had been left at home with her parents, along with the rest of her soft clothing. Her armour alone sufficed for her quests, but she couldn't help thinking that she might need to buy a couple more outfits.

Was she going to move in with Block? Where was his home? Would his mother mind her coming to live with them? Would they buy their own house instead? While she was in the dress shop, it had only been a couple of hours ago that she'd asked her best friend to marry her, yet already her brain had become overloaded with information. Meklavar was still struggling to process it as she lay in bed with Block, but decided to let her mind rest and just enjoy his loving snuggle. They could work out what they were going to do with their new life together later. There was no need to rush…

Meanwhile, downstairs in the tavern area of the inn they were staying at, the owner of the establishment was busy setting things up for his customers, along with a servant boy, who was mopping the floor. A silhouette appeared at the door.

"We're not open yet!" he called.

However, the figure took no notice. Suddenly, the door burst open, practically flying off its hinges. In stepped a wrinkled old woman with long, tangled white hair, hunched over a staff, wearing a long brown dress and a scruffy shawl.

"Ma'am, we're NOT OPEN!" reiterated the innkeeper.

"Where is Block?" hissed the witch.

The manager wasn't fazed. "I can't disclose that. Now either leave these premises or…"

The old hag pushed him out of the way with her magic, sending him head over heels, and stormed towards the door leading to the stairs. The servant boy was so stunned he didn't have the first idea what to do. Once the witch had disappeared, he found the courage to drop his broom and go over to see if his employer was all right. The man had been flung so hard he'd knocked a table and two chairs over, landing in a very awkward position. He cried out in pain as the boy approached him.

"Get help!" he wheezed.

The boy made a dash for the door, only hoping he could find a sorcerer or a physician.

Meanwhile in Block and Meklavar's room, the pair of them had sat up now, their heads leaning against their propped-up pillows. Block had his arm around his new wife.

"So, what do you want to do today, Meklavar…uh, honey? You don't mind if I call you honey?"

"Not really."

"Man, I'm really new at this…oh, er, would you like to go visit your folks or something?"

"We might need to plan for that first. My village is a few quintants' journey away!"

"OK then. Not today."

"Maybe we shouldn't do anything today." Meklavar cuddled up closer.

"I guess not then." Block smiled. He stared into her eyes for a few moments before planting a kiss on her forehead. Meklavar rested her face on his chest and he began to embrace her.

"I can't believe how quickly I've gotten used to us being a couple," she marvelled. "A quintant ago, it had never even occurred to me that I would marry you."

"I'd say the same but…but…" He found himself struggling to get the words out.

"But what?" The dwarf woman prised her face off Block's chest, looking him in the eye.

"Meklavar, I've…" Block was feeling rather choked up. He'd known this for all too long, but never told her. He'd feared she would not return his feelings in the same way. "I always have…" Meklavar raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to go on. He could put it off no longer. "I love…"

All of a sudden, in the frustrating tradition of any romantic comedy, it was at that precise moment the witch so happened to barge through their door. The couple screamed and clung to each other, the wind-like force of the hag's entrance whipping the bedclothes right off them.

"Oh man!" cried Block, "I forgot all about her!"

"You cheated on my daughter!" shrieked the crone. Her white hair was flying around her and her eyes were glowing with volcanic fire. "You'll pay for your debauchery!"

Block dived off the bed and grabbed his staff, holding it up protectively. He gulped, hoping that his skills would be enough to shield them from any potential attacks. Meklavar considered grabbing her axe, but wasn't certain if it would be any use against the witch's magic.

"I heard from the villagers that you were sleeping with another woman," continued their foe. "You!" she cried, pointing a sharp, talon-like fingernail in Meklavar's direction. The dwarven warrior instantly felt vulnerable, as though the witch was about to cast a spell on her. "You were the one who led my son-in-law astray, you whore!"

Block and Meklavar's eyes widened in shock. Block began to burn with rage – a deep rage that a sweet guy like him hardly ever felt, except when someone had said or done something so utterly despicable there was no other way he could have reacted.

"You leave us alone," hissed Block, edging towards the hag, his staff glowing with magic, "And don't you EVER say that to Meklavar again, GOT IT?"

Block's eyes were filled with a fury that made him almost unrecognisable. It then occurred to Meklavar that in the last couple of years she'd known him, she'd never once seen him angry. Sure, she'd seen him frightened and panicked and even frustrated on the many quests they'd been on, but never once had he looked so truly livid. Being annoyed with a frog that had hopped off across a bog with the talisman of Valdarish was one thing (Block had ended up very grubby after that chase!) Looking like he could practically electrocute someone with his staff was an entirely different one.

Meanwhile in the corridor, some of the other people staying at the inn had heard the commotion and rushed to investigate, congregating behind the entrance to Block and Meklavar's room. The witch sensed their presence and swivelled round, knocking them flying with another burst of magic. The witnesses were pinned against the wall, suffering minor injuries in the process, a couple of them even blacking out. As swiftly as she had done this, the witch turned to face Block once again.

The young sorcerer felt even more out of his depth than before. This woman was one seriously powerful mage. She didn't even use a wand or a circle to send a blast of magic at others. He hadn't noticed this yesterday, but then again, the only magic he'd actually seen her use was an incantation to complete the curse, after she'd tricked him into wondering onto an enchanted circle. Was he skilled enough to keep himself – and, more importantly, his beautiful wife – safe from her power?

"I will not leave you alone until you have fulfilled the promise you made to my daughter!"

"Wait? You're saying I made a _promise_ to your daughter?" Block was a little confused. "I hope you're not talking about how you forced me to be her fiancé, because that's not cool! You can't go around making people marry someone they don't want to."

Meklavar smiled. It was good to see Block being his usual lovable self again.

The witch scowled at him. Block knew that she did not want to admit that he was horribly right. He was calculating what her next move could possibly be, when suddenly she cast a spell. However, it was not directed at him. Block swung his staff just in time and used his own magic to stop the enchantment from hitting its target – Meklavar. His wife's eyes widened in disbelief once again as she realised what had just happened and they exchanged a horrified glance. He knew all too well that the only obstacle in the witch's plan was her. Had the wicked woman really just tried to knock her out of the picture?

The dwarf woman was still sat on their bed, unsure of how she could defend herself. Magic was Block's department, not hers! It was really strange feeling helpless. She was a warrior and she'd worked together with Block for the last two and a half years, fighting at his side. There had to be some way she could assist him. They were a team. She then realised that was why she'd taken to being his wife so quickly. Marriage was all about teamwork!

She jumped off the bed, grabbing her axe. Who cared if it was no match against the witch? She was sure as heck going to at least try fighting the old hag! She and Block had each other's backs, no matter what.

Threateningly tapping the handle against her palm, she approached her foe. Block also drew nearer, holding up his staff, causing the witch to slowly back out through the door. She had really made them mad now!

Meanwhile, the servant boy had fetched a sorcerer to treat his employer – a sorcerer none other than Alfor. He placed a hand upon the innkeeper and restored him back to health using his powerful magic. Afterward, he asked the man what had been the cause of his terrible accident.

"Some crazy old witch came in here and threw me across the room!" he explained, rubbing his head as he picked himself up off the floor.

"A witch?" Alfor froze. A look of horror crept upon his face. He then dashed for the stairs, fearing the worst.

Upstairs, Block and Meklavar were slowly but steadily advancing towards the witch, driving her out of their room. By now, there was a tinge of alarm upon her face. Even if they probably weren't as dangerous as her, they certainly looked menacing.

Just as the witch was contemplating what to try next, Alfor arrived in the corridor. He conjured a magic circle just before the crone noticed he'd arrived.

"Be gone, witch! Block freed himself from your curse, fair and square."

He had his hand positioned just in front of the circle, ready to cast a spell at any moment. The witch turned to face him, pointing a finger at Block.

"This worm CHEATED on my daughter!" she cried. "With this filthy woman here!" She gestured to Meklavar. "How can a man of your status justify such immorality?"

"I think there has been a mistake here," explained Alfor, "Meklavar is not an adulteress – she's Block's wife."

It was now the witch's turn to freeze in shock. She then slowly turned to face Meklavar and realised in horror that actually her snub nose, red markings and the oversized axe in her hands looked suspiciously familiar. In her rage, she hadn't paid close attention to her features, but now she was able to get a good look at her, a picture began to form in her mind. If that girl's slim body was encased in bulky armour and her brown pixie cut hidden underneath a horned helmet, she would look just like that young lad, possibly a servant, who'd assisted Block on his quest to defeat her…

It was in that moment it hit her. That hadn't really been a boy working with Block. It had been a short, scruffy, tomboyish young woman – and his wife! Come to think of it, weren't those dwarven markings? Perhaps their apparent age gap wasn't as vast as it appeared. She began to feel as though she had been tricked. This whole time, she had no idea that Block was already married! Hadn't her circle detected that he was a virgin? Then again, a person's level of chastity wasn't exactly a fool-proof indicator of whether or not they had a spouse…

She collapsed to the floor and wailed in despair. The people she'd thrown against the wall were now starting to pick themselves up, feeling a good deal less at risk.

"I hope you realise what this means," continued Alfor, his circle disappearing.

The witch stopped howling and nodded, scowling once again. Then, unexpectedly, she vanished into thin air!

"What just happened there?" asked Meklavar after a short while had passed, now holding her axe in only one hand.

Alfor had gone over to one of the unconscious boarders and was squatting down, administering his healing power to her. "You broke her curse by getting married. By trying to harm either of you, she only placed a curse on herself."

Block recalled something from his studies in sorcery. "Wait…doesn't that mean she's in debt to us or something?"

The woman whom Alfor had just healed woke up and he helped her get back on her feet. "The curse means you could ask any favour of her as payment," he explained, "She has disappeared to wherever she lives now, but you could quite easily summon her."

"I think I might have had enough of witches…" said Block, relaxing his staff, "Thanks for your help there. I forgot she didn't know we'd got married!"

Alfor was now tending to the other unconscious individual, who was already waking up. Once he'd figured the man no longer needed his help, he turned to face the couple. "I hope you're adjusting well. You had hardly any time to plan your union! It took me decaphoebs to pluck up the courage to propose to my wife." He chuckled, before rising to his full height.

"Yeah, I think we're getting used to it," said Meklavar, "Block and I have been close for a long time. I can't believe we didn't think of getting married before!"

Her last statement struck Alfor as very odd. She'd said she'd been best friends with Block for years and he was aware they'd gone on many quests as well. Come to think of it, he'd been very surprised the first time she'd mentioned how long they'd been friends. Had she really hung around with Block for the past couple of years, camping out, slaying monsters and retrieving artefacts together, yet not seeing any romantic attraction towards her closest friend until one day she found herself obliged to marry him? Meklavar was certainly a very interesting character. Judging from her and her husband's full attire, it wouldn't be a stretch to suppose their wedding night hadn't been particularly normal either. The pair of them just seemed to have the same relationship as they did the day before.

"I want you two to make the best of it. You're young and you've got plenty of time to plan what you want to do with your lives. You could find somewhere to settle down." _And begin a family_ , he nearly added, but stopped himself just in time.

"We've certainly got the money to buy a house together," confirmed Block, "I could start using my sorcery skills to provide for us."

"I would go back to working in the mines, but they're so far away from here," said Meklavar, "I guess I'll be stuck as a housewife unless we move somewhere nearer the mines."

Block had a troubling vision of her working in the dark, dirty mines and vowed he would do anything to prevent her from ever working again in such conditions.

"Please, honey! You don't have to go back to your old job." He took hold of her hand. "You don't have to be a housewife either. I'm sure you could find work somewhere around here."

"I suppose I could use my fighting skills to get a job. After all, I am the best axe-wielder in three lands!" She looked proud. "Maybe I should finally start growing my hair out…" She fingered her pixie cut. "I've never minded looking like a guy, but it could be time for a change…"

"Er…you do realise people won't be able to see it under your helmet?" said Block. He'd always thought that her hairstyle rather suited her tomboy personality, but she'd mentioned more than once before that she used to have hair down to her waist, which she sometimes missed.

"You'll be able to see it though."

Block gave her hair a ruffle, making her laugh. Alfor wondered if the pair were accustomed to showing close affection towards each other, yet had never read it as romantic before. He wondered what exactly was in store for their future, especially with their relationship being so unconventional. Though he knew he would not stay in the village very long, he hoped he would meet them again sometime and see just how things had panned out for the two of them.

…

In the present time, Block was clinging onto his wife; his face was a total mess of tears and snot.

"It's all my fault!" he cried, "I'm such a terrible husband."

"Block, stop blaming yourself! The spell didn't work because he tricked us."

"It's not your fault, Block," said Jiro, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have believed that we'd find his name so easily."

Valayun picked up the items she had dropped and inserted the arrow back into her quiver, looking rather forlorn. "I can't believe what a dirty trick that imp played on us. What ever would he want with your baby?" She shook her head.

Likewise, Pike's ears were drooping. This couldn't be happening! Only a few hours before, he'd thought Jiro's tales of the imp were completely far-fetched, yet now he'd seen first-hand that not only was he real, but every bit as cruel as his description, if not more so. There had to be some way to outwit this guy. The thought of what would happen if they did not was something so awful he did not want to imagine it, but nevertheless pictures flashed through his mind. Block and Meklavar were embracing tearfully. They were stood in front of the fireplace in their home, which seemed jarringly empty. He also saw their little son or daughter growing up a slave, beaten and verbally abused by their master, perhaps not even aware who their real parents were. The images stung his mind as painfully as the vision he'd had of Valayun the night before.

"Imps are crafty creatures," Meklavar explained. "Lots of them go by pseudonyms. The elders in my village say that only a witch can reveal his real…" Suddenly, it hit her. "Oh my gosh, you won't believe what I just remembered!" She laughed with joy.

Block was taken aback by her sudden mood swing. He gently pulled away from her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Block, do you remember the day after we got married?" she continued.

"Uh, sure? Wasn't that the day we got attacked by that crazy old hag?"

"Didn't Alfor say something to us about her owing us a favour? What if we were to summon her now?"

Block's face lit up. "Meklavar, you're a genius!"

He excitedly grabbed her into a cuddle, almost knocking the wind out of her. "Block, be careful!" said a muffled voice.

"Oh, er, sorry." Block pulled himself away from her, looking a little sheepish. The last thing he wanted was to hurt her or the child she was carrying.

"You've lost me…" said Jiro, who'd been trying to make sense of their conversation, "What's this about a witch owing you a favour?"

Block and Meklavar recounted the story. As they did so, their team-mates faces lit up. There was a chance they could defeat this imp, just like they'd planned! After they'd finished, Jiro asked them to summon the witch of Venric immediately. One incantation from Block later and the infamous witch was stood right in front of them, looking just as spiteful as she had the moment she'd realised Block and Meklavar had cheated her curse. She glared even harder when she caught sight of Meklavar's belly. The little bitch had it all! Her daughter had struggled so much with men. They'd all been driven away from her by her bad temper, rudeness and downright ugliness. After years of struggling to find someone to marry her, she thought she'd finally snared her a husband...but then _she_ came in the way. Noble, likeable, brave, good-hearted, beautiful Meklavar, who was everything her daughter was not. Now she was expecting a baby with Block – a baby that should have been _her_ grandchild – and her daughter was all set to become an old maid.

"This was nearly your mother in law, Block?" said Pike, "Man, I bet her daughter's ugly!"

The crone growled at him.

"We need your help," Jiro directed, "Can you tell us the name of the imp who just tricked us?"

The witch said nothing and instead just looked him in the eye, perhaps trying to intimidate him.

"Pike?" Block piped up, "You could show her his journal?"

Pike stepped forward and showed her the diary.

"Tell us the name of the imp that book belongs to," instructed Meklavar, wording her phrase carefully. She didn't want to give the witch any chance of playing another trick on them.

The hag placed her withered hand on the volume and closed her eyes. "This journal belongs to Elmertrislin." She opened them again and withdrew her hand. Once more she turned to Block and Meklavar, a look of disgusted jealousy upon her face.

"That will be all," said Jiro, aware that her expression was making the couple look uncomfortable, "Block, can you send her away?"

"Oh…yeah…sure!" Block was distracted by the witch's disturbing fixation on him and his wife. Not wanting her to stare at them for another second, he cast an incantation and she was gone.

"Well, I'm glad that's sorted out," commented Valayun after a few seconds had passed, "Perhaps while we wait for the imp to appear again we should have some supper."

The team made their way to a nearby cave, made a campfire, sat down and ate the rest of the meat that was left over from earlier, whilst planning what their actions would be when Elmertrislin returned. Block rehearsed over and over in his mind what he was going to say. If he got one move wrong, he and Meklavar could lose their baby forever!

He gave her a massage to calm his nerves. Carrying their little one inside of her the entire journey had really caused her back to ache. She appreciated being pampered in front of a roaring fire. It was now getting very dark and the winds were getting stronger. Yet again, it had started snowing and was most likely going to turn into another storm, but the group were safe and cosy inside the cave, which thankfully wasn't big enough this time for any unexpected inhabitants to be lurking.

"That must feel so nice…" said Valayun, watching Block rub his wife's upper back, which she seemed to be enjoying very much. She was sitting on one of her pillows, her stocking-clad feet warming in front of the fire.

"You spoil me, Block," said Meklavar with a grin.

Valayun fingered her neck. "I could really do with a massage myself right now…"

"I could help you out there…" offered Pike flirtatiously, expecting her to shoot him an unamused look in response.

Her face started to twist into a glare, but then softened. However, her eventual reply took him completely by surprise. "Actually Pike, that would be lovely!"

She began removing her quiver and cloak, revealing the gold, white and blue tunic she was wearing over her jumpsuit, before giving her back to him, moving her bushy ponytail out of the way. Pike was pretty stunned and didn't know quite what she wanted him to do. He tentatively reached for her shoulders and started gently kneading them in a similar fashion to Block.

Valayun relaxed and he worked his way down her back, pressing his fingers into the muscles in a rhythmic pattern.

"You're awfully skilled, Pike! Have you done this many times before?"

"No…not really?"

Once Pike had massaged her for about ten minutes, he decided it was about time to finish, having relieved all of her tension. Jiro was stood near the cave entrance, keeping watch for their little friend's reappearance, but he'd still noticed what was going on between the others.

"Thank you, Pike!" said Valayun gratefully, circling her shoulders and giving her arms a good stretch, "I feel so much better now."

Jiro smiled. It was good to see the two of them interacting positively.

"Would you mind if I gave you a massage in return?" offered Valayun, turning to face Pike.

"Oh, sure! Go ahead." Pike took off his coat and swivelled round. He expected the elf woman to start rubbing his back, but instead she reached his head and began giving one of his ears a really good scratch. Pike looked totally euphoric! "Oh boy, that is _so good_ …"

"I had a feeling you'd like that." Valayun chuckled.

Though Pike knew the lovely elvish maiden would never be his, it set his heart at peace to think that she was so comfortable engaging in such intimate – if platonic – affection with him. It was times like these that he began to think that his relationship with her didn't need to be any different. It was just perfect the way it was.

By this time, Meklavar had lain down on the bed that Block had now set up for her and he was stroking her feet. They were hurting a lot after the last two days of walking. She'd closed her eyes and looked like she could quite easily fall asleep again any minute.

Jiro was happy to see his team-mates looking so comfortable.

"So, have you made your decision?" said a voice out of the blue, startling him.

He turned to see where it had come from and saw that the fiendish imp had returned. In fact, he was standing right next to him!

Without having time to contemplate how he snuck up on him so easily, Jiro shouted, "Guys? He's back!"

The other paused mid-massage. Jiro shot a look at Block. _Remember what we planned_ , he thought. Despite having no telepathic abilities, Block seemed to get the message.

He took another glance at Meklavar. She'd opened her eyes now and gave him a reassuring smile. _I've got to do this right,_ he thought. _For her and for our baby._ He mirrored her smile and took hold of his staff. He left her side, walking up to where the imp was standing, looking smugly at the sorcerer.

"Yes, I actually have made my decision," Block responded confidently. " _Elmertrislin_."

The imp went white. For a few seconds he didn't even know what to say. His face metamorphosed from a smirk into a look of panic.

"W…w…w…wait? WHAT?!" he exploded, "How?!" He went red with rage. "Did a witch tell you?" He pointed at Block.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you, buddy." Block shook his free hand. "Something I can tell you though is…" He directed his staff right at the imp's throat. "…you're going to bring back that village and undo all that mischief you've caused or it's no more Mr Nice Guy!"

Elmertrislin raised his hands in surrender. "Please don't harm me!" he pleaded, "I'll do everything you say!"

"You better had or you're going to wish you were never born!"

The imp cursed him under his breath, before throwing an all-out tantrum. He got so worked up he vanished into a puff of smoke! Pike cheered and Jiro and Valayun congratulated him. The foe had been defeated and their mission accomplished. Block went a little bashful but thanked them anyway, all the while keeping one thing secret.

The scene actually hadn't played out quite how he'd had expected it to. He'd thought that he would merely cast an incantation similar to the first when he went up to the imp, but…something had changed. When he'd glanced back at Meklavar, he felt that her smile had empowered him with courage. He knew all too well he was a big guy and could look pretty intimidating if he wanted to, which he'd felt confident enough to use to his advantage. The imp had looked quite seriously scared of him when he'd threatened him with his staff! Of course, Elmertrislin had no idea of what he was really like.

He went back over to where Meklavar was lying. She didn't say a word, but she looked so proud of him. One of her hands was resting on her bump. He couldn't help but think that the person beneath it would be every bit as honoured.

Jiro left his post and joined the others around the fire. He removed his cloak and armour, getting ready for bedtime. Likewise, Block removed his outer cloaks and tucked himself under the blankets. Just as he was about to lie down, Meklavar sat up and gently punched his arm.

"Hey! You're not going to bed without me giving you a back scratch first." She winked.

Block certainly wasn't complaining! He turned onto his front, resting his face on the pillow, and his wife ran her nails up and down his back. It was absolute bliss!

…

Thankfully, despite Block's worries, the baby did not arrive that night. However, after they'd all woken up, the team decided to leave as soon as possible. Now that their main task had been accomplished, their priority was getting Meklavar home before she gave birth. Block helped her wash her hair using some of their water supplies (which had been topped up using her gloves' power earlier) and Valayun also gave her silky locks a good clean. Block and Jiro shaved as well, using one tiny mirror Block had brought. Pike shaved off some of his five o'clock shadow, but left a subtle goat patch. Growing some facial hair was probably a good idea in this weather.

Whilst the group were warming around the fire, Meklavar transmuted some rocks into bread for their breakfast, like she had suggested earlier. The loaves were mediocre but still better than the meal they'd had the morning before. Block patted her hair dry the best he could before plaiting it once more and covering it with her cap and cloak hood. Once everyone was wrapped up in their winter clothes once more, they headed off, guided by Jiro and the amulet. The Paladin was now being directed to Block and Meklavar's cottage, in the hope they would make it in time.

The snow was even thicker than the day before and the air was bitterly cold. Pike pulled his scarf over his nose, knowing the others probably wished they could do the same, but none of them had brought scarves. They walked all day, stopping only for meals, which consisted of some more venison (courtesy of Valayun's bow) and transmuted bread. Block expected Meklavar to go into labour any minute, but eventually the end of the day came with her having gone through nothing more than another Braxton-Hicks contraction.

They settled down for the night in another cave. Meklavar didn't sleep very well due to the baby's movement and was very tired the next morning as they resumed their journey. Still, they had to keep going. _Maybe, just maybe, we can make it in time,_ thought Block. He wanted more than anything for his wife to give birth in their own bedroom at home, assisted by the local midwife, rather than being holed up in some cave in the middle of nowhere. The next day they continued to walk.

After a couple of hours of doing so, Valayun cried, "Wait a minute! I recognise this part of the forest."

"Me too," commented Pike, "I guess this isn't far from home."

"Block and Meklavar's house must only be a few vargas away from here," said Jiro. It was a pain that the amulet didn't tell him the walking distance to all the places it showed him, let alone roughly how long it would take to get there! He was quite tempted to suggest Pike's proposed improvement to Alfor.

They hiked on for another varga, all the while keeping a close eye out for any landmarks.

Block was holding Meklavar's hand the entire time, when at one point he'd noticed she'd stopped moving.

"Quiznack!" she cursed, squatting down, appearing to be hurting. Was it another contraction? Or was it…?

Meklavar cried out in pain, catching the attention of her friends. Block embraced her. "Guys? I think the baby's coming!"

A hand flew to Valayun's face. "We must get her to shelter immediately!"

It was at that moment Pike realised this part of the forest was looking _very_ familiar… "Hey! I think I live somewhere near here!"

Block picked up his wife, who really looked like she was suffering. "Hang on, babe. We'll get you there in time."

He walked as fast as he could, almost breaking into a run, in the direction Pike led him and the others. It seemed like the longest time before they eventually made it to his residence. Pike dug a key out of his bag and let them in. Block charged past him, looking for somewhere to place Meklavar. Pike's home was very simple and didn't even have a proper bed. He just had a mattress with a few ragged blankets and pillows.

Instead of plonking his wife on Pike's messy bed, Block sat her on a nearby stool and set her up a bed on the floor. Pike put some wood in the fireplace and lit them. Block helped Meklavar onto the bed he'd made for her and removed her cloak, cap, gloves and shoes, trying to get her comfortable before she gave birth. Despite the agony, she tried to be tough and didn't cry out or shed a single tear. She didn't want to make it any harder on Block, who hated seeing her in any pain.

By now, the others were all inside. Valayun sat beside Meklavar and took off her own cloak and gloves. "Take a nice deep breath," she instructed her. The dwarf woman did as she was told. Block had sat her up and was massaging her lower back. "Now, breathe out." After doing this, Meklavar continued to repeat the process, helping her to feel slightly calmer.

"Pike, I need you to heat up some water on the fire," called Valayun.

Pike obeyed her orders. Once the water in the cauldron was a moderate temperature, he poured it into a bowl and set it next to Valayun. She took off her gloves and washed her hands in it using some of her soap, preparing for the impending birth. Block was holding Meklavar's hand, who was now lying down. By this time, she had broken water. There was no going back now – the baby was coming.

Valayun raised an eyebrow and looked at Pike. "Would you mind giving us some privacy?"

"Oh, sure." Pike went out through the front door with Jiro, who already had been contemplating whether or not it would be inappropriate for him to stay.

Valayun turned back to her patient. "Now…I must give you a word of warning."

"What's that?" asked Block, looking concerned.

"It's nothing terribly serious…in fact, it might not happen at all." She looked Meklavar in the eye. "Judging from the size of your belly and your appetite during pregnancy, it could be possible that you're having twins."

Block looked gobsmacked. "Oh boy…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jiro and Pike stood around outside the cave house for what seemed like ages, walking back and forth. _What's taking them so long?_ thought Pike. Was Meklavar really in pain this entire time? He didn't know how anyone could be that resilient. Could Valayun be just as strong? He was glad he was never going to find out though, as much like Block, he never wanted to see the woman he loved in any pain.

Meanwhile, Meklavar was really struggling. She continued to follow the breathing pattern Valayun had told her to and was pushing her very hardest, but the baby – or babies – just wasn't coming out. Valayun was keeping watch for the little one's head and as it began to surface, she realised what the problem might be.

"Block? May I ask you a favour?"

Block was about to reply when Meklavar cried out in pain, unable to hold it in any longer. His attention was drawn to her for a few moments, before he turned to Valayun.

"I'll do anything you ask, just please stop her hurting!" His eyes were welling with tears.

"I believe you can do this, but you need to be calm. Try doing the same breathing exercises as your wife."

Block did as she asked for several seconds, when suddenly Meklavar yelped again and the cycle was broken. "I can't do this!" he wailed.

"Block, please. Your wife is counting on you."

Block started the exercise again and after about half a minute felt a little more composed, though still rather concerned. "Wait…what exactly is this favour?"

Valayun looked at Meklavar. "I have figured out why the baby isn't coming out. Because you're a dwarf and your husband is considerably larger than you, it's struggling to fit through your pelvis. I don't think you're having twins after all, it really is just a big baby!"

Meklavar thudded her head back against the pillows and groaned, clapping a hand over her face. Block started looking guilty, as if he blamed himself for her predicament.

Valayun turned to him. "It's not your fault, Block. Please don't be too hard on yourself. Now…this is where you come in. I need you to perform a spell that will shrink the baby."

Block's eyes widened. He knew all too well that you had to be so careful performing spells on babies – and pregnant women. In fact, neither of them were things he'd ever done before. He looked at Meklavar.

"Honey, this is going to be a big risk. Are you OK with this?"

"JUST GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME!" roared his wife _._ "AAAARGH!"

Block winced. Hearing her scream made him realise how much he had at stake here. He only had one shot at this and he _had_ to get it right.

He looked at Valayun, who gave him a reassuring smile. "I believe you can do this."

Block turned back to Meklavar and smiled at her, before it was time to get down to business. He let go of her hand and picked up his staff. With his free hand, he conjured a circle above her lower abdomen. He tapped some of the symbols, all the while trying to follow the breathing exercise Valayun had advised him to.

 _Concentrate, Block! Concentrate!_

He couldn't let himself be distracted by Meklavar's cries, no matter how much it pierced his soul to hear them. His wife was watching his hands, fighting not to make any sound. She gritted her teeth and continued to push, hoping that sooner or later it would get a little easier.

After what seemed like all too long, the spell was complete. Block made the circle disappear and went back to holding his wife's hand, silently begging the deities that he had got it right.

"It's coming!" cried Valayun, reaching her hand towards where the baby's head was appearing.

Meklavar growled and pushed with all her might. She'd thought that pregnancy itself had been her most difficult battle to date, but this really took the biscuit! She could quite honestly not think of a time when she'd suffered even nearly as much pain in her life before. Did her mother really go through this not once but _twice_ , bringing her and her older brother into the world? She felt a new depth of admiration for her. Growing up, she'd only ever perceived her mother as much older and wiser than herself. Now, she began to wonder if she had felt every bit as young and unprepared when she'd given birth to her first child.

This carried on for several more minutes, Block's expression growing more and more anxious, until there was a noise. An unmistakable noise. It was the sound of a baby crying.

Valayun looked up from where she had been crouching. "Congratulations," she said with a smile. "It's a boy." She waited a short while for the spell to wear off and managed to hush the child (nothing short of a miracle, considering how much she knew she struggled with children), before taking a small blanket from her own bag. She wrapped up the little bundle, which she then handed to Meklavar.

It was then the dwarf woman finally got her first glimpse at the little one she'd been through so much to give life to. The baby was larger than average, as Valayun had predicted, and had pale brown skin, with soft tufts of black hair. _He looks so much like his father_ , she thought. She held the child closer, wanting to be as intimate with him as possible.

…

Meanwhile in the real world, the players were just as thrilled.

"I don't know whether I should congratulate you!" said Allura with a laugh.

Hunk sniffled and wiped away a tear. He put his arm around Pidge again. "Our characters are going to be such great parents."

One of the mice suddenly dived into Pidge's arms. She started cradling it like a baby and laughed when it began sucking its thumb. "You're such a cute little guy! What are we going to name him, Hunk?"

"Well…uh…I didn't really think of that." Hunk scratched his head.

Pidge had a thoughtful expression for a few seconds. "What about Afendorn? That sounds like a good name for a warrior!" Unlike Hunk, she was a lot more familiar with Altean names. She'd chosen one for her character, in contrast to Lance and Hunk, who'd picked theirs randomly on the spur of the moment.

Hunk started rubbing the little mouse's tummy, which seemed to like that very much. "Baby Afendorn, huh? Sounds good to me."

The others were watching on and beaming. The pair of them looked so happy it was easy to forget they weren't parents or even in any kind of relationship. They were just two best friends playing make-believe, no different from them building forts out of the sofa cushions or playing Jaws with Lance in the pool. Still, there was a certain longing in Hunk's eyes, almost as if someday he hoped a similar scene would occur to him in real life…

…

After a long cuddle, Meklavar passed the baby onto Block. The young sorcerer held him close, studying every detail of the little boy. Unlike himself, Afendorn had a heart-shaped face and burgundy markings on his cheeks. _He looks so much like his mother_ , he thought, tears running down his face. Block looked at Meklavar and saw that her eyes were starting to water as well.

He was still in awe that his best friend and the most courageous woman he'd ever met was the mother of the precious child in his arms. He silently thanked the deities for everything: Dakin turning his village to stone that at the time had seemed like the biggest disaster of his life, but had led to him meeting Meklavar and their friends; the many years he'd spent being friends with the young dwarf woman; that quest to defeat the witch of Venric that had backfired horribly until Meklavar thought of a solution that changed their lives forever; and the last seven difficult months of pregnancy that had resulted in his wife giving birth to his little son. He couldn't thank them enough. He couldn't thank _her_ enough. At that moment, everything in his life seemed as perfect as it could possibly be.

It was astonishing to think that the tiny baby he was holding would one day grow up and become an adult. He thought about how his mother had raised him to manhood. His whole life felt like such a long time. He felt a deep sense of respect for her, knowing that now he was charged with the same responsibility.

"This has to be the greatest quest we've ever been on," he pondered aloud, looking at his wife, "Thank you so much for bringing him into the world. You really are a warrior, going through all that for him."

Meklavar smiled in response.

"I love you," said Block, getting choked up.

"I love you too, big guy." Tears were streaming down the dwarf woman's face.

Once Valayun had taken care of the…other things that Meklavar had delivered (which thankfully did not include another baby!) she invited the boys back into Pike's house. "I hope we haven't left too much of a mess," she said. There was a little blood on Meklavar's mattress, as well as the floor. Valayun set about cleaning it with a spare towel, soap and the leftover water.

Meanwhile, Pike crouched himself beside Meklavar's bed. Block passed the baby back to his wife, who in turn held him nearer Pike so he could get a good look.

"He looks just like you guys!" was his first comment.

"You can hold him if you like," offered Meklavar.

"What, really?"

"Sure! Have you held a baby before?"

"Well…er…I'm not sure..."

He then found that his dwarven friend was handing him the little bundle, all the while supporting his head. He formed his arms into a cradle, trying his best to copy her, and the next thing he knew, the half-mage, half-dwarf child was in his arms. What surprised him the most, though, was how unexpectedly heavy he was. He nearly lost his footing from the shock!

"You were carrying this little guy around in your tummy?! He weighs a ton!"

Meklavar flexed one of her arms, looking proud.

"Have you given him a name yet?" probed Pike.

"His name's Afendorn," responded Block, taking hold of Meklavar's hand, "My wife chose it. She says it's the name of a warrior."

Jiro had been watching the whole time, but now he bent down to Pike's level and peered at the features of the infant. He smiled and turned to the baby's parents. "I am so pleased for you guys. This is truly a milestone for both of you."

It was then the baby started making a familiar noise again.

"Uh…guys? Why's he crying?"

Pike carefully passed the baby back to Meklavar. "I'm not sure. What's wrong, little guy?"

She inspected the new-born's swaddling clothes. There wasn't any sign of defecation and she certainly couldn't smell it. It was then she began to wonder just when she last had something to eat…

"Hey, are you hungry, little guy?"

She undid the drawstring of her peasant blouse, but wasn't sure how to proceed, especially without embarrassing Pike and Jiro.

"Valayun…could you show me how to feed him?"

Valayun looked at Pike and Jiro. "Gentlemen…?" She raised an eyebrow.

The pair got the hint and turned around, giving her, Block and Meklavar some privacy. The dwarf woman pulled down the straps of her maternity dress and one of the shoulders of her blouse. Valayun instructed her on what to do next and after about a minute told the others they could look again. They turned to see the baby sucking away at her breast. Meklavar looked very happy.

"That actually feels real nice…" she said, closing her eyes and relaxing.

After so little sleep last night, she'd been getting tired after all the walking she'd done. Now was the perfect time to lie back and unwind. Once Afendorn had drained one of her breasts, she moved him onto the other, which he soon emptied as well.

"You really were hungry," commented Meklavar, handing the infant to her husband and covering herself up again.

Block still looked like the proudest father on the face of the Earth. After a while, the baby grew sleepy and his father hummed him a lullaby, gently rocking him. Meklavar also closed her eyes and before long the pair of them was fast asleep.

…

Later that day, everyone had walked back to Block and Meklavar's cottage, and now the young mother was sat in her rocking chair, cradling her sleeping son in front of a roaring fire. Block was sat in the other chair, gazing fondly at his child. Pike and Valayun were seated at the table, having finished their dinner not that long ago. Upon getting home, Block had tried fixing his bowl using his sorcery skills and had been very surprised when he not only managed to glue it back together, but it worked just as well as before! He'd promptly set about conjuring meals for everyone, except for Jiro, who had gone to investigate whether or not the imp had kept his promise.

He had been gone for quite some time now and it was getting pretty late. The baby had awoken and started crying again.

"What is it, little guy?" asked Meklavar. "Are you hungry again? Really?" Her new little one had really kept her on her toes for the last few hours. After she'd woken up from her nap, everyone had started the journey back to her house. The baby had awoken while they were halfway there and soon afterwards had urinated. Block had to use his magic to get rid of the stain on his swaddling clothes. Not long after that, Afendorn had begun crying again and the group had to stop so Meklavar could give him another feed. He'd defecated while Block was mending his bowl, causing him to pause what he was doing and magically clean the cloth again.

Once more, Meklavar adjusted her clothes and nursed the little boy. "You really do have Block's appetite!"

It was at that moment Jiro returned, his winter gear coated with snow. Valayun invited him to take off his cloak and sit near the fire. She used the bowl to create him a meat pie while he settled himself down.

"Guys, our quest was successful. I asked some of the locals about the village and they say it's returned to normal. All of the imp's other tricks have been undone as well. I'm really proud of all of you for making sacrifices to complete this quest." He looked at his dwarf friend. "Especially you, Meklavar. It wasn't easy for you, knowing you would soon give birth, yet you put others before your own comfort. Afendorn should be proud to have you as a mother." He turned to Block. "And he should be every bit as proud to have you as a father."

Block beamed.

…

A few days later, it was a snowy yet bright morning and Pike, Jiro and Valayun visited the young family once more. When Block opened the door, he was still in the black tunic and brown trousers he wore to bed.

He yawned. "Hi guys," he said, wiping the sleepy dust out of one eye.

"Did we come at a bad time?" asked Jiro.

"No…not really. The baby's just been keeping us up at night. I don't mind if you come in."

He ushered in the group. Upon entering, they saw Meklavar was sat in her rocking chair again, holding Afendorn, who was asleep. "Hey," she said wearily. There were bags under her eyes from where she'd been missing sleep. She was also wearing her pyjamas and still had bed-head hair. The visitors took off their cloaks and hung them on the table's chairs.

Pike removed something from his coat pocket. "We've come bearing gifts!" He kneeled down in front of Meklavar and bowed, presenting a small parcel.

"Block, you'll have to unwrap it for me," the dwarf woman looked at her husband. "My hands are kind of full at the moment."

"Sure, honey…" Block took the gift from Pike's hands and opened it. Inside was a little wooden toy of a horse on wheels. "Where did you get this?!"

"I hope you didn't steal it," teased Meklavar.

"Hey! I haven't stolen anything in decaphoebs." Pike looked thoughtful. "Or actually maybe just phoebs..." He stood up again. "I asked the village carpenter to make something for the little guy."

"Our son will love this when he's older!" said Block, giving his old friend a cuddle. "Thanks so much, buddy!"

"Don't mention it!"

Once Block had let go of Pike, Valayun stepped forth. "I just managed to finish these last night." She presented to Meklavar the basket she'd borrowed from her the last time she'd visited. Inside were two balls of wool, much smaller than before, and several items of baby clothing, which Valayun had lovingly re-knitted.

"Thanks so much! You're much better at knitting than I am." Meklavar looked at her baby. "I guess I'll just stick to axe-fighting, eh, little guy?"

Valayun set the basket down besides the rocking chair. "I hope that will help to keep him warm. It will be another two phoebs before the spring arrives!"

"We've been keeping him warm by letting him sleep in our bed with us at night." Block beamed proudly. "He's so cute, but man, he keeps us awake!" He looked tired again.

Jiro handed Block a piece of folded burgundy material he'd been carrying. "I remember you said you wanted one of these." Block unfolded the cloth, which was long and rather thin.

"A scarf?" Meklavar looked a little mystified.

"It's a sling!" explained Block, "You'll be able to carry the baby around without having your hands full anymore."

"Oh hey! That sounds great."

She stood up and handed the baby to Valayun while Block helped attach the sling to her body, which still had a slight bump from where Afendorn had been not that long ago. Once it was on, Valayun helped slip him into the carrier. The baby looked safe and snug, sleeping inside of Jiro's present.

"Thanks, Jiro," said Meklavar, "This will be a great help when I'm working in the garden again." She gently patted her little one.

"I hope we can come and visit more regularly now we know where you live," offered Valayun.

"Sure. Sounds great! Just try not to teach him _all_ of your tricks, 'Uncle Pike'! I know what you're like."

Pike looked mischievous and the others laughed.

"I'm so glad everything has worked out for you guys," said Jiro, "The gods must be rewarding you for your bravery and sacrifice in the past. I only hope They will be as kind to you and your little son as the years progress." He turned to Valayun and held up the amulet. "Would you mind giving this back to Alfor now we've completed the quest?"

"Certainly. I'll tell my father all about our adventure and what brave heroes you all were."

Block was surprised. "Wait…are you saying Alfor's your Dad?"

"Why, haven't you noticed the family resemblance?" Valayun winked.

Meklavar looked at her sling. "Man, he's going to have a lot to catch up on…"

…

With that, another satisfying game of Monsters and Mana was complete.

"Well, I never!" exclaimed Allura, "That really was your best work to date, Coran."

Hunk and Pidge were still playing with their "baby", who was rather enjoying being made a fuss over. The other mice looked a little jealous of him!

Lance leaned over to his two best friends and said, "Hey, can you let 'Uncle Pike' have a turn holding the little guy?"

With that, the mouse dived out of Pidge's arms and ran back to its friends. Allura started laughing. "Oh dear! That didn't go very well, did it?"

Hunk sat back and relaxed. "Oh man, that was some adventure. We defeated an imp, slayed a dragon, my character became a Dad…"

"It's so weird, our characters having a baby now…" Pidge pondered aloud. "It's going to be real different the next time we play Monsters and Mana."

"It's possible a few phoebs or even decaphoebs will have passed in-universe when you play the next game…" said Coran.

"Wow! That means our son will be old enough to walk and talk."

Hunk got into the spirit, practically glittering. "I could teach him how to cast spells!"

"I could teach him how to fight with my axe…when he's much older."

Then the two of them started nattering away, ignoring the rest of the group, imagining scenarios where they took Afendorn paddling in the creek or pretended to be a scary dragon fought by two brave knights (guess who was who…) or planted sunflowers together or camped out under the stars or…basically anything. The others looked on, pleased that their two friends were happy with this new development.

Allura couldn't help wondering how Coran worked out they'd take to their characters having a child so well. She was aware that until today he'd been the only other person who'd known about Block and Meklavar's union. Had he just thought it was the natural step for their characters to take next? Whatever the reason, it had made a wonderful story that they'd all enjoyed taking part in! She couldn't help but be almost as excited for the next game as Hunk and Pidge. Aunt Valayun, Uncle Pike and Uncle Jiro were going to love the new member of the family – and indeed they were a family, both in the game and out!

…

A couple of months later, the spring had arrived and a figure was making his way to Block and Meklavar's cottage. The garden was now in bloom and the trees in the background were a beautiful shade of yellow-green. He knocked on the door and soon Block answered, clad in his usual outfit.

"Hey guys! Come on in…" He abruptly paused when he realised it was not Jiro, Pike or Valayun stood in front of him. It was Alfor. "Is it really you?!" He laughed and gave the sorcerer a hug. He let go of him. "Oh man, you're not going to believe how much has changed since the last time you saw us…"

Alfor stepped into the house. "My daughter told me about the good news."

He then caught sight of Meklavar, who was yet again sat in the rocking chair, wearing her maternity outfit, feeding the baby his lunch at her breast.

Alfor smiled. "I see you are adjusting to parenthood very well."

Block scratched behind his neck. "Yeah, we're getting used to being woken up every night…"

Alfor chuckled. "It was the same with Valayun."

Afendorn had now drained both of Meklavar's breasts again and was crying for more food.

"That's it. I'm all out of milk, little guy!" She placed the baby on her lap and tucked her blouse back over her chest. Block went over and picked up the wailing child, gently trying to shush him.

Alfor got a good look at the baby in his arms, which was starting to quieten down. He looked so much like the young couple. Gosh, it was so long ago his lovely Valayun was that size. He thought of all the hardships he'd been through bringing her up, as well as the many joys. Block and Meklavar had a lot to look forward to.

He spent an hour with them, talking about their experiences and offering advice. They told him about their plans for the future: how they would set up a bedroom for their son when he was a little older; how Block would educate him when he was old enough to learn how to read and write; how Meklavar would train him to fight, Valayun would show him to hunt, Jiro would instruct him on how to be chivalrous and honourable and Pike would probably end up teaching him how to make a complete mischief of himself…

He was so pleased that not only had they got used to being married but their relationship had eventually progressed to being intimate enough for them to conceive a child. That in and of itself was _beautifully_ intimate. He thought of his relationship with his own now deceased wife, the mother of his dear daughter and his companion for many years. He missed her deeply every day and could only pray to the gods that he had raised Valayun as well as he could have without her at his side. Her life had ended much too soon. As much as remembering his wife's death hurt, he couldn't help but think about how it compared to what was happening in the here and now. Though his beautiful wife's time on Altea may have ended many years ago, a new life for Block and Meklavar was just beginning…


End file.
